Experts Opinion: OCTA vs. FFA/ICG in Uveitis - Which Will Survive?

Will optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) replace invasive imaging techniques like fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography entirely? While OCTA is being increasingly applied in the field of medical retina, will we see this change in the subspeciality of uveitis? In this article, five uveitis specialists with renowned imaging expertise answer to 10 specific questions to address this issue. The final verdict based on the comments of the experts suggests that FFA and ICG cannot be replaced by OCTA in uveitis, at least for now. While OCTA can offer new insights into the pathogenesis of certain inflammatory conditions and help in the diagnosis of complications like inflammatory choroidal neovascularisation, multimodal imaging is still the preferred approach in the assessment of patients with uveitis.

S2k guideline: Rosacea.

This updated and upgraded S2k guideline deals with the diagnosis and treatment of rosacea, which is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease mostly affecting the face. Initially, rosacea is characterized by recurrent erythema, telangiectasia and flushing. Later, the inflammatory component predominates, with persistent erythema with follicular papules, papulopustules and pustules. The development of phyma, which usually occurs on the acral localizations, is the most severe manifestation. For the treatment of rosacea, the interdisciplinary guideline committee, with representatives of the German Dermatological Society (DDG), the Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD), the German Opthalmological Society (DOG), the Society for Dermopharmacy (GD), the Swiss Society for Dermatology and Venereology (SGDV) and the German Rosacea Aid e. V., recommends the avoidance of trigger factors and topical applications of metronidazole, azelaic acid or ivermectin. For symptomatic treatment of persistent centrofacial erythema, the topical vasoconstrictors brimonidine or oxymetazoline can also be used. Systemic therapy is recommended for therapy-resistant and severe forms of rosacea papulopustulosa. The drug of choice is low-dose doxycycline. Alternatively, low-dose isotretinoin can be recommended. Ocular rosacea should be treated with lid margin hygiene. For topical treatment, ciclosporin eye drops, azithromycin, ivermectin or metronidazole are suggested.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Uveitis: Epidemiology, Clinical Features and Visual Prognosis.

PURPOSE: To study the epidemiological and clinical features of uveitis post-COVID-19 vaccination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients presenting with uveitis after COVID-19 vaccination in tertiary uveitis services. RESULTS: In total, 25 patients, 76% females, mean age 43.2 years, were included. Uveitis occurred after Pfizer, Moderna, Astra-Zeneca and Covaxin vaccination. Anterior uveitis was the most frequent type of uveitis (56%). History of uveitis was found in 19 cases (76%), among whom 90.9% of the tested patients developed anti-Sars-CoV-2 spike antibodies after vaccination. In a mean follow-up of 5 months, one-line decrease in visual acuity was found in 12% of patients. During post-vaccine uveitis, 15.8% of cases needed an increase in their systemic therapy. According to Naranjo score, new-onset uveitis had a higher probability of being associated with vaccination (p < .01). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccination can cause uveitis but has no significant impact on the visual prognosis after resolution.

Rosacea and Dry Eye Disease.

Ocular rosacea is a chronic potentially sight-threatening inflammatory condition, which can occur in approximately 20% of patients without skin involvement. However, an accurate diagnosis of ocular rosacea has not been defined yet due to its rather nonspecific symptoms and clinical findings. Therefore, this article updates the current recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of ocular rosacea and the previously published consensus recommendations from the ROSCO expert panel on the management of rosacea.

Mesalazine Suppresses Proinflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Acute Anterior Uveitis Independently of HLA-B27.

PURPOSE: The aim is to unravel the mechanism of mesalazine (5-ASA) on proinflammatory cytokines in PBMCs of patients with HLA-B27 +and HLA-B27 -acute anterior uveitis (AAU), and whether this may explain the different effects of 5-ASA in both disoders. METHODS: PBMCs from 12 HLA-B27+ and 4 HLA-B27- AAU patients were preincubated with 5-ASA and stimulated with LPS. As mesalazine (5-ASA) could be involved in ER stress, proinflammatory and ER stress-associated cytokines and markers were measured. RESULTS: Mesalazine (5-ASA) suppressed IL-6 mRNA in healthy donors and in HLA-B27+ and HLA-B27- patients but did not lead to induction and secretion of IL-1ß. In HLA-B27 + or - patients the ER stress-associated markers CHOP (DDIT3) and ATF6 were suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: Here we show that mesalazine (5-ASA) inhibits the transcription of proinflammatory and (ER) stress associated cytokines and markers, independently of the HLA-B27 status. Results show the similarities of both AAU types but do not decipher the mechanism why the HLA-B27 status determines the therapeutic response to mesalazine in AAU.

Tuberculous Scleritis and Multidrug Resistance.

PURPOSE: To present a case of necrotizing sclerokeratitis in a patient with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and study the challenges in diagnosis and management of anterior tuberculous scleritis. METHODS: Retrospective observational case report and review of anterior tuberculous scleritis. RESULTS: A 28-year-old woman, previously diagnosed as presumed tubercular panuveitis, presented with necrotizing sclerokeratitis and progressed to develop panophthalmitis. Laboratory investigations revealed multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the etiological agent. We reviewed cases of anterior tuberculous scleritis published in the literature, with regards to clinical features, microbiological investigations, treatment, and outcomes. Treatment includes standard antitubercular therapy, with or without systemic corticosteroids. Poor response to treatment is seen either due to delayed diagnosis or drug resistance, and the significance of the same is highlighted in our case. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of tuberculous scleritis is a challenge. Therapeutic failure must alert the clinician for drug resistance which is diagnosed early, can prevent the devastating outcomes.

Drug-induced Sarcoid Uveitis with Biologics.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: to evaluate new onset uveitis or reactivated uveitis by biologic agents and characterize their features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective case series. Patients under biologic therapy were included if they developed uveitis for the first time or experienced intraocular inflammation which was different in location or laterality to previous inflammation. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were identified. The underlying disorders included ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Behçet's Disease. The biologic agents associated with a first episode of uveitis (n = 11) or with a new recurrence of uveitis (n = 5) were etanercept, adalimumab, abatacept, infliximab, and golimumab. Sarcoidosis based on bihilar lymphadenopathy, other computer tomography-findings, or biopsy was diagnosed in five patients under therapy with etanercep, adalimumab, and abatacept. Additionally, seven patients developed clinical changes in their uveitis pattern, suggesting sarcoid uveitis. CONCLUSIONS: Biologic treatment-induced uveitis often presents as granulomatous disease.

Epidemiology of Viral Induced Anterior Uveitis.

PURPOSE: Viral agents are the most common cause of infectious anterior uveitis worldwide. The purpose of this review is to analyze the frequency, gender and racial differences of viral anterior uveitis (VAU) in various populations. METHODS: Systematized literature review of epidemiological reports of VAU cited in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library database published until June 30th, 2020. RESULTS: A total of 12 clinical studies on epidemiology of definite VAU and 36 clinical studies of presumed VAU were identified. Members of Herpesviridae family represent the most common causes of VAU. Other less frequently reported causes, such as rubella and endemic viruses (HTLV-1, Chikungunya, Dengue, Ebola, Zika virus) were also analyzed. CONCLUSION: HSV, VZV are prevalent worldwide. CMV is more frequent in Asia, and rubella in the West. However, due to globalization and air travel, HTLV-1, Chikungunya, Dengue and Ebola may become important causes of VAU across the world.

Ocular Adverse Events After COVID-19 Vaccination.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has galvanized the development of new vaccines at an unprecedented pace. Since the widespread implementation of vaccination campaigns, reports of ocular adverse effects after COVID-19 vaccinations have emerged. This review summarizes ocular adverse effects possibly associated with COVID-19 vaccination, and discusses their clinical characteristics and management. METHODS: Narrative Literature Review. RESULTS: Ocular adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccinations include facial nerve palsy, abducens nerve palsy, acute macular neuroretinopathy, central serous retinopathy, thrombosis, uveitis, multiple evanescent white dot syndrome, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease reactivation, and new-onset Graves' Disease. Studies in current literature are primarily retrospective case series or isolated case reports - these are inherently weak in establishing association or causality. Nevertheless, the described presentations resemble the reported ocular manifestations of the COVID-19 disease itself. Hence, we hypothesize that the human body's immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations may be involved in the pathogenesis of the ocular adverse effects post-COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmologists and generalists should be aware of the possible, albeit rare, ocular adverse effects after COVID-19 vaccination.

Vitreoretinal Lymphoma.

Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare variant of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), mostly of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, which affects the retina and/or the vitreous with or without optic nerve involvement. The disease course is aggressive. Up to 90% of the patients develop central nervous system lymphoma within one year. The diagnosis of VRL is challenging due to nonspecific chronic and relapsing uveitis and is made by anterior chamber tab or vitreous aspirate biopsy. There is no established treatment protocol for VRL patients with bilateral involvement without CNS involvement. There are suggestions to use only intravitreal chemotherapy with methotrexate and/or rituximab. Alternatively, systemic high-dose MTX treatment or external beam radiotherapy is used. Further studies are needed to prove and confirm the prophylactic systemic therapy in preventing CNS involvement in limited VRL.