Organ-specific allergen challenges in airway allergy: Current utilities and future directions.

Atopy has been long used as the screening method for airway allergy. Nevertheless, aeroallergens can trigger respiratory symptoms not only in atopic patients (atopic respiratory allergy, ARA), but also in non-atopic subjects (local respiratory allergy, LRA). Moreover, ARA and LRA can coexist in the same patient, and this clinical scenario has been called dual respiratory allergy (DRA). When the clinical history cannot determine the relevance of sensitizations in ARA patients, nasal, conjunctival or bronchial allergen challenges (NAC, CAC, and BAC, respectively) should be conducted. Moreover, these tests are required to identify patients with LRA and DRA. The clarification of the allergic triggers of airway diseases has a profound impact on the management strategies the patients can be offered. Importantly, allergen immunotherapy (AIT) remains as the only disease-modifying intervention for ARA. Recent data indicate that AIT might have a similar effect on LRA patients. Nevertheless, AIT success relies largely on the correct phenotyping of allergic individuals, and NAC, CAC, and BAC are very helpful tools in this regard. In this review, we will summarize the main indications and methodology of CAC, NAC, and BAC. Importantly, the clinical implementation of these tests might translate into precision medicine approaches and better health outcomes for patients with airway allergy.

Atypical toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis in patients with malignant hematological diseases. / Retinocoroiditis toxoplásmica de presentación atípica en pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas malignas.

In immunocompromised patients, toxoplasmosis may have atypical presentation with bilateral, extensive or multifocal involvement. We report a case series of atypical toxoplasmic retinocoroiditis in patients with malignant hematological diseases who are usually immunosuppressed. Four patients were diagnosed of atypical toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis, all of them had immunosuppression (100%) and half of them (50%) had received a bone marrow transplant. The polymerase chain reaction for toxoplasma was positive in 75% of cases, and in one case (25%) the diagnosis was made with clinical and serological criteria. One patient presented ocular toxoplasmosis despite being on prophylactic treatment with atovaquone. Patients with atypical ocular toxoplasmosis and hematological diseases are generally immunocompromised, but they do not always have history of a bone marrow transplant. The presentation may be due to a primary infection or a reactivation of the disease. The aqueous humor and/or vitreous polymerase chain reaction allow confirming the diagnosis to perform a proper treatment.

Diagnostic vitrectomy: a case series in a single referral center. / Vitrectomía diagnóstica: serie de casos en un centro de referencia.

OBJECTIVE: To study the results and safety of diagnostic vitrectomy in patients with unknown etiology panuveitis. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive observational study was carried out in which a total of 29 patients (37 eyes) were included, who underwent a vitreous biopsy due to acute intraocular inflammatory processes. In all, demographic and clinical data were collected. We studied the specific samples extraction methods and their diagnosic processing. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients analyzed, 18 were men. Mean of age was 63.11 years old (standard deviation: 14.55). The most frequent initial symptom was visual acuity decrease, with mean initial visual acuity being 20/40, excluding 8 eyes that had vision lower than 20/200. 21 presented unilateral ocular involvement. Vitrectomy was performed in all of them obtaining a dry sample. Vitrectomy was performed in all of the patients obtaining a dry sample. Moreover, the following techniques were done: 5 retinal biopsies, obtaining 5 muestras diluidas, 1 subretinal abscess aspirate and 1 aqueous humor aspirate. The most frequent processing technique that was used was cytology in 25 eyes, followed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) in 11 eyes and culture in 10 eyes. Diagnosis was achieved in 94.5% of patients. Main diagnosis found was lymphoma, followed by toxoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic vitrectomy is very important in ophthalmic inflammation identification. Different techniques for obtaining and processing can be used.

Multimodal imaging and treatment of Purtscher-like retinopathy. / Estudio multimodal y tratamiento de la retinopatía tipo Purtscher.

A 52-year-old patient with multiple cardiovascular risk factors referred for unilateral, acute, and painless visual loss. In the fundoscopic image there was significant papillary inflammation with tortuosity at this level and haemorrhages. Ophthalmological examination showed papillary inflammation, macular oedema, and involvement in retinal inner layers. The control fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography angiography showed areas of central and peripheral ischaemia. Given the clinical findings and background of the patient, the diagnosis of Purtscher-like retinopathy was reached and treatment with intravitreal dexamethasone was decided. Purtscher-like retinopathy is a rare entity that occurs in patients with multiple systemic pathologies, but without a traumatic background, which differentiates it from Purstcher's retinopathy. The diagnosis and early intervention are important in the prognosis. There are no therapeutic protocols, but good results have been obtained with intravitreal therapy with dexamethasone.

Study of aggressive carcinomas through orbital metastasis. / Estudio de carcinomas agresivos a través de metástasis orbitarias.

Two clinical cases of orbital metastasis are presented. The first is a 63 year-old male with a recent loss of visual acuity associated with binocular diplopia. Neuroimaging tests revealed a tumour of aggressive features with intraconal extension and bone invasion. The systemic study led to the diagnosis of stage IV small cell bronchogenic carcinoma. The second case is a 69 year-old woman with breast cancer in early stages that showed alterations in ocular motility and proptosis. Computed tomography showed tumour infiltration of extraocular musculature. The anatomo-pathological study confirmed the diagnosis of orbital metastasis. Orbital metastatic disease is a relatively infrequent entity with varied clinical presentation and an unfavourable prognosis. It constitutes a diagnostic challenge that should be suspected in patients with risk factors for tumour disease and imaging techniques used to define the extent and severity of the condition.

Multifocal Best's disease: The importance of genetic tests. / Enfermedad de Best multifocal: la importancia de los test genéticos.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Our objective is to describe a multifocal vitelliform presentation of Best's disease. The lesions in this disease may vary in size and shape, some may be a disc diameter in size, and often have some irregularity in their contour. The case is described of a 21-year-old male patient referred to our ophthalmology department due to a progressive loss of vision. His poor visual acuity was confirmed, and a complete examination was performed, in which macular flecks were observed, with yellow pigment arranged in oval distribution near their periphery. Due to the suspicion of Best's multifocal disease, genetic tests were performed. Multifocal vitelliform disease with the same features as those in Best's disease occurs most frequently in patients with a normal electro-oculogram (EOG), and a normal family history. CONCLUSION: Best's multifocal disease must be suspected in case of multiple vitelliruptive lesions close to the posterior pole. Genetic testing is essential for its diagnosis.