Quality of Life (QoL) in Non-Acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease (VKHD) at Two Time Points 24 Months Apart.

AIMS: To investigate the changes in quality-of-life (QoL) metrics at a 24-month interval in non-acute VKHD patients and their association with inflammation, treatment, and visual function. METHODS: SF-36 and VFQ-25 questionnaires were administered at two 24-month-apart moments to 22 non-acute VKHD patients followed for ≥12 months since acute disease onset. "Improvement," "unchanged," or "worsening" in questionnaires scores (difference >5-point) between M1 and M2 and their associations were sought. RESULTS: Absence of systemic treatment or optic disc hyperfluorescence was associated with improved general health (SF-36). Improvement in binocular contrast sensitivity resulted in better ocular pain score; absence of anterior uveitis relapse, stable fundus findings, no use of cyclosporine or no intravitreal injections resulted in unchanged/better dependency score; no intravitreal injections resulted in unchanged/better mental health score (VFQ-25). CONCLUSION: Stability/improvement in QoL scores was associated with controlled inflammation, better visual function, and no need for treatment. Subclinical inflammatory signs did not impact QoL scores.

Fingerprint sign in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease: a case series.

BACKGROUND: The tomographic finding, which has been called the "fingerprint sign" in en face reconstructions, seems to be the result of a variety of processes that cause distension of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and the Henle fiber layer (HFL). The aim of this paper is to describe the appearance of concentric rings at the OPL/HFL interface visualized using en face reconstructions of cross-sectional optical coherence tomography images of patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of images of six eyes of three patients obtained by cross-sectional OCT imaging and en face reconstruction at the level of the OPL/HFL interface. RESULTS: All eyes presented with a dentate or saw-tooth pattern of the OPL/HFL interface on cross-sectional OCT with corresponding concentric rings on en face OCT reconstruction, consistent with the recently published "fingerprint sign". Initial OPL/HFL interface changes were observed between the first and fourth months after treatment and resolution of VKHD associated serous retinal detachments. These OPL/HFL interface changes have persisted for many years following the resolution of the active inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the OPL/HFL interface can be identified following successful treatment of VKHD. These included both a dentate or saw-tooth pattern on cross-sectional imaging and concentric rings or the "fingerprint sign" on en face reconstructions. These changes persisted for many years despite disease quiescence.

Impact of Inflammation and Treatment on Self-reported Quality of Life in Patients with Non-acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease (VKHD).

Aims: To evaluate associations between vision-related (VR-) and health-related (HR-) QoL metrics and inflammation and treatment in non-acute VKHD patients.Methods: Cross-sectional study in a tertiary center in Sao Paulo, Brazil with 22 patients with non-acute VKHD followed prospectively for ≥12 months since acute disease onset, with systematic evaluation and predefined treatment protocols. VR- and HR-QoL aspects were assessed by VFQ-25 and SF-36 questionnaires, respectively. Associations between the questionnaire's subscale item scores with inflammation and systemic medical therapies were assessed.Results: After generalized linear model analysis, worse VA, severe fundus changes, fluctuation of VA and fluctuation of anterior chamber cells impacted negatively on VR-QoL items. Higher cumulative total dose of corticosteroids and use of immunosuppressive therapy impacted negatively on both questionnaires.Conclusion: Worse VA, clinical inflammation and systemic treatment have a significant impact on VR- and HR-QoL questionnaires. Subclinical choroidal inflammation did not seem to impact QoL.

Associations between functional and structural measurements in non-acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate associations between functional and structural measurements in patients with non-acute VKHD. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 16 non-acute VKHD patients (32 eyes; 14 female) were evaluated with multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG), standardized automated perimetry (SAP) and optical coherence tomography (OCT)examinations. All included patients had a minimum 12 months of follow-up from acute onset and were participants of an ongoing prospective study since acute phase with systematic clinical imaging evaluations and electroretinogram examinations within a predefined treatment. Age- and gender-matched controls were included. Main outcomes were functional and structural abnormalities and their correlation; secondary outcome was correlation of these findings with clinical characteristics, including fundus abnormalities. RESULTS: SAP and mfERG parameters were significantly worse in patients than in controls. Fourteen eyes (43.7%) had disrupted ellipsoid zone (EZ); visual acuity (VA) was similar between eyes with intact or disrupted EZ. Eyes with intact and disrupted EZ differed significantly concerning N1 and P1 amplitudes and N1 peak time values on mfERG and mean sensitivity (MS), central sensitivity (CS), foveal threshold, visual field index, mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation values on SAP. The area under the curve on receiver operating curves for P1 amplitude was 0.81 (cut-off value = 34.7 nV/deg2 ) and for MD value was 0.84 (cut-off value = -5.2 dB). Central retinal thickness (CRT) significantly correlated with N1 and P1 amplitudes and P1 peak time values on mfERG (r = 0.354, r = 0.442 and r = -0.405, respectively) and MD, MS, CS and fovea threshold (log values) on SAP (r = 0.372, r = 0.406, r = 0.431 and r = 0.414, respectively). Statistically significant associations were found with the presence of peripapillary atrophy and recurrent anterior uveitis with a worse MD value (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: In non-acute VKHD, disrupted EZ and reduced CRT were correlated with impaired mfERG and SAP parameters, even in patients with good VA.

Self-Reported Quality of Life in Patients with Long-Standing Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

Purpose: To assess health-related (HR-) and vision-related (VR-) quality of life (QoL) in patients with long-standing Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKHD).Methods: Cross-sectional study of 49 patients with disease duration ≥12 months followed at Uveitis Service, Universidade de São Paulo, BR, for at least 12 months. HR- and VR-QoL were evaluated using SF-36 and NEI VFQ-25 questionnaires, respectively. Demographic, clinical and visual function data were compared with questionnaire scores.Results: After generalized linear models, lower mensal household income was associated with lower scores in both questionnaires while unemployment was associated with SF-36 questionnaire only. Treatment with peri-/intraocular medications and ocular surgery were associated with higher scores on SF-36 questionnaire. Worse visual acuity (VA), ocular complications and no ocular surgery were related to lower scores on NEI VFQ-25 questionnaire.Conclusions: On HR- and VR-QoL questionnaires difficulties perceived by patients with long-standing VKHD were mainly associated with socio-economic aspects, VA, local treatment and ocular complications.

Autoimmune thyroid disease as a risk factor for angioedema in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria: a case-control study.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: An association between chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) and autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) has been reported. However, there have not been any reports on whether ATD raises the risk of angioedema, which is a more severe clinical presentation of CIU. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the risk of angioedema is increased in patients with CIU and ATD. DESIGN AND SETTING: Case-control study including 115 patients with CIU at a tertiary public institution. METHODS: The patients were evaluated with regard to occurrence of angioedema and presence of ATD, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. RESULTS: Angioedema was detected in 70 patients (60.9%). There were 22 cases (19.1%) of ATD, 19 (16.5%) of hypothyroidism and nine (7.8%) of hyperthyroidism. The risk among patients with ATD was 16.2 times greater than among those without this thyroid abnormality (confidence interval, CI = 2.07-126.86). The odds ratio for hypothyroidism was 4.6 (CI = 1.00-21.54) and, for hyperthyroidism, 3.3 (CI = 0.38-28.36). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CIU and ATD presented greater risk of angioedema, which reinforces the idea that a relationship exists between this allergic condition and thyroid autoimmunity. This finding could imply that such patients require specifically directed therapy.

Autoimmune thyroid disease as a risk factor for angioedema in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria: a case-control study / Doença autoimune da tireoide como um fator de risco para angioedema em pacientes com urticária crônica idiopática: um estudo caso-controle

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: An association between chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) and autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) has been reported. However, there have not been any reports on whether ATD raises the risk of angioedema, which is a more severe clinical presentation of CIU. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the risk of angioedema is increased in patients with CIU and ATD. DESIGN AND SETTING: Case-control study including 115 patients with CIU at a tertiary public institution. METHODS: The patients were evaluated with regard to occurrence of angioedema and presence of ATD, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. RESULTS: Angioedema was detected in 70 patients (60.9%). There were 22 cases (19.1%) of ATD, 19 (16.5%) of hypothyroidism and nine (7.8%) of hyperthyroidism. The risk among patients with ATD was 16.2 times greater than among those without this thyroid abnormality (confidence interval, CI = 2.07-126.86). The odds ratio for hypothyroidism was 4.6 (CI = 1.00-21.54) and, for hyperthyroidism, 3.3 (CI = 0.38-28.36). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CIU and ATD presented greater risk of angioedema, which reinforces the idea that a relationship exists between this allergic condition and thyroid autoimmunity. This finding could imply that such patients require specifically directed therapy.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: A associação de urticária crônica idiopática (UCI) com doença autoimune da tireoide (DAT) é relatada. Porém, não foram encontrados relatos se a DAT eleva o risco de angioedema, uma apresentação clínica mais grave da UCI. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar se o risco de angioedema está aumentado em pacientes com UCI e DAT. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo caso-controle, incluindo 115 pacientes com UCI em uma instituição pública terciária. MÉTODOS: Os pacientes foram avaliados quanto à ocorrência de angioedema e à presença de DAT, hiper ou hipotireoidismo. RESULTADOS: Angioedema ocorreu em 70 pacientes (60,9%). Foram observados 22 (19,1%) casos de DAT, 19 (16,5%) de hipotireoidismo e 9 (7,8%) de hipertireoidismo. Os pacientes com DAT apresentaram risco 16,2 vezes maior de angioedema do que os sem a alteração tireoidiana (intervalo de confiança, IC = 2.07-126.86). O odds ratio, para hipotireoidismo, foi de 4,6 (IC = 1.00-21.54) e para hipertireoidismo foi de 3,3 (IC = 0.38-28.36). CONCLUSÕES: Pacientes com UCI e DAT apresentaram maior risco de angioedema, reforçando a ideia de existência de relação entre o quadro alérgico e autoimunidade tireoidiana. Este achado poderia implicar em um direcionamento terapêutico específico para tais pacientes.