Neuro-Behcet Disease and Ocular Inflammation: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Purpose: To describe a case of panuveitis with occlusive vasculitis leading to the diagnosis of neuro-Behcet disease (NBD) and discuss the relationship between uveitis and NBD.Methods: Case report with a literature review of ocular inflammation in NBD.Results: A 26-year-old woman with a seven-month history of recurrent cerebral venous sinus thromboses (CVST) and right-sided hemiparalysis secondary to rhombencephalitis presented with bilateral panuveitis and occlusive retinal vasculitis. Systemic evaluations were negative for hypercoagulability and infection. Although HLA-51 negative, the diagnosis was consistent with NBD.Conclusion: NBD is a rare subset of BD with a limited number of studies and patients. However, uveitis is more common in adults with parenchymal disease; may predate the development of neurological symptoms. The most common locations of ocular inflammation were posterior and panuveitis. MRI/V of the brain can identify enhancing lesions in the rhombencephalon or CVST in patients with uveitis with neurological findings.

Longitudinal assessment of quantitative ultra-widefield ischaemic and vascular parameters in sickle cell retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate longitudinal quantitative ischaemic and vasculature parameters, including ischaemic index, vessel area, length and geodesic distance in sickle cell retinopathy (SCR) on ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA). METHODS: Optimal UWFA images from two longitudinal timepoints of 74 eyes from 45 patients with SCR were aligned and a common region of interest was determined. A deep-learning augmented ischaemia and vascular segmentation platform was used for feature extraction. Geodesic distance maps demonstrating the shortest distance within the vascular masks from the centre of the optic disc were created. Ischaemic index, vessel area, vessel length and geodesic distance were measured. Paired t-test and linear mixed effect model analysis were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 25 (44 eyes) patients with HbSS, 14 (19 eyes) with HbSC, 6 (11 eyes) with HbSthal and other genotypes were included. Mean age was 40.1±11.0 years. Mean time interval between two UWFA studies was 23.0±15.1 months (range: 3-71.3). Mean panretinal ischaemic index increased from 10.0±7.2% to 10.9±7.3% (p<0.005). Mean rate of change in ischaemic index was 0.5±0.7% per year. Mean vessel area (p=0.020) and geodesic distance (p=0.048) decreased significantly. Multivariate analysis demonstrated baseline ischaemic index and Goldberg stage are correlated with progression. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal ischaemic index and retinal vascular parameter measurements demonstrate statistically significant progression in SCR. The clinical significance of these relatively small magnitude changes remains unclear but may provide insights into the progression of retinal ischaemia in SCR.

A Drop in Hemoglobin as an Association with Pegylated Interferon Retinopathy: A Novel Pathophysiology.

PURPOSE: To describe the association of change in the baseline hemoglobin levels with the development of interferon (INF) retinopathy after the start of pegylated INF (PEG INF) and ribavirin for hepatitis C virus treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review conducted on 12 patients on PEG INF and ribavirin with baseline examination and follow-up during the treatment regimen: 6 developed INF-induced retinopathy and 6 patients were without retinopathy. Serial hemoglobin values for both the groups were recorded at the time of the retinopathy diagnosis in affected patients and the nadir in those without retinopathy. The total percent reduction of hemoglobin was calculated for both the groups. RESULTS: Hemoglobin concentration levels between control and INF retinopathy patients tended to be slightly lower in the group that developed retinopathy. There was no threshold hemoglobin concentration under which the rate of developing retinopathy significantly increased. Greater than 25% drop in hemoglobin conferred a statistically significant risk in the development of INF-associated retinopathy. CONCLUSION: Patients starting PEG INF and ribavirin require baseline testing and subsequent follow-up based on the rapidity of the decrease in hemoglobin levels to identify the development of retinopathy with treatment.

Are Prophylactic Antibiotic Agents Indicated in Anorectal Surgery for Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus?

BACKGROUND: With increased survival among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), surgeons have been seeing more cases of anal dysplasia and cancer. There is, however, no data on the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in HIV-positive patients undergoing elective anorectal procedures, nor on the administration of prophylactic antibiotic agents. We reviewed a HIV-positive population that has undergone elective anorectal biopsy of areas of dysplasia observed on office anoscopy to assess the need for antibiotic prophylaxis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of all HIV-positive patients seen as outpatients in the Colorectal Surgery Division from 2007-2016. Demographics, dates of surgery and follow-up, antibiotic prophylaxis, and pre-operative CD4 count and HIV viral load were recorded for 229 patients. Post-operative examination notes were reviewed to determine the presence of SSIs. The proportion of patients who received prophylaxis was assessed and the SSI rate was calculated. RESULTS: Surgical site infections occurred in 2 of 237 (0.8%) cases without antibiotic prophylaxis and in none of the 38 cases with prophylaxis. This infection rate was found to be lower than that of the general surgery population, with no statistical difference from hemorrhoidectomy patients without HIV. One SSI occurred in a 51-year-old male with a pre-operative CD4 count of 612 per microliter and viral load of zero. Another occurred in a 57-year-old female with an unknown CD4 count and viral load. A χ2 analysis showed the incidence of SSIs in the groups with and without prophylaxis was not significantly different (p = 0.563). CONCLUSION: Surgical site infection rates in HIV-positive patients undergoing biopsies for anal dysplasia were similar to patients without HIV undergoing similar minor anorectal procedures, and no difference was noted in the rate of SSI with the administration of prophylactic antibiotic agents. We do not recommend routine use of prophylactic antibiotic agents in this population.