Diagnosis and management of systemic Wegener's granulomatosis presenting with anterior ocular inflammatory disease.

Abstract

The ocular and systemic features of 10 patients whose Wegener's granulomatosis presented with corneoscleral inflammatory disease are described. Marginal corneal infiltrates were seen in all patients with anterior scleritis and were a valuable sign of disease activity. Nine out of 10 patients had symptoms of systemic vasculitis on presentation; seven had renal impairment; three had chest x-ray abnormalities. Autoantibodies against neutrophil cytoplasmic determinants (ANCA) were present in all cases. In seven patients the scleritis responded well to pulsed immunosuppressive therapy followed by long term oral steroids and cyclophosphamide. Oral steroid therapy alone failed to control severe disease. Corneoscleral disease was not a cause of visual loss. It is important to realise that inflammatory corneoscleral disease may be the presenting feature of a severe systemic vasculitis.

• Authors: S J Charles, P A Meyer, P G Watson
• Journal: The British journal of ophthalmology (Br J Ophthalmol) Vol. 75 Issue 4 Pg. 201-7 (Apr 1991) ISSN: 0007-1161 [Print] England
• PMID: 2021584 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cyclophosphamide
• Methylprednisolone

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cornea (pathology)
• Cyclophosphamide (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (complications, diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)
• Humans
• Keratitis (etiology, pathology)
• Male
• Methylprednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Necrosis
• Sclera (pathology)
• Scleritis (etiology, pathology)