Outcomes of initial-onset acute uveitis associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease occurred during pregnancy

Effects of pregnancy on the clinical course and treatment outcomes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease

PURPOSE

To describe the clinical course and treatment outcomes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease during pregnancy.

METHODS

This retrospective study compares the clinical course and outcomes in pregnant and nonpregnant women with VKH. All VKH patients who were pregnant at presentation or on follow up and age-matched nonpregnant female controls during the study period (2013-2022) were included. Their best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), clinical presentations, and treatment outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among the 532 female VKH patients, nine (1.7%) were included. Thirty nonpregnant patients were included as control. At presentation, the mean age in the study group was 26 years ± 6.48 standard deviation (SD) compared to the control group (mean 25.1 years ± 3.04). The mean BCVA was comparable between the two groups at presentation (study group 1.35 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] vs. control group 0.76 logMAR; P = 0.05) and the final follow-up (study group 0.65 logMAR vs. control group 0.35 logMAR; P = 0.15). Participants with anterior segment inflammation (study group 77.7% vs. control group 70%; P = 0.65), the disease stage (early-stage VKH: study group 88.8% vs. control group 73.3%; P = 0.33), and disease exacerbation (study group 33.3% vs. control group 26.6%; P = 0.69) were all comparable between the study and control groups. Following treatment, 66.6% and 46.6% of the study and control groups, respectively, had sunset glow fundus ( P = 0.29). At the last follow-up, 44.4% and 26.6% of the study and control groups, respectively, had subretinal fibrosis ( P = 0.31).

CONCLUSION

Though pregnancy is an immunomodulatory state, the clinical course of VKH in pregnant patients can be similar to that of nonpregnant women and needs close monitoring and follow-up.

Managing Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease during pregnancy with steroid pulse therapy: A case report

BACKGROUND

High-dose steroid administration is a common initial therapeutic approach for Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH). Nonetheless, administering substantial doses of steroids to pregnant women necessitates meticulous consideration due to the potential impacts on the mother and fetus. We present a case wherein steroid pulse therapy was administered to a patient who developed VKH during the late stages of pregnancy.

CASE SUMMARY

The patient was a 26-year-old nulliparous woman. At 33 weeks and 1 day of her pregnancy, she experienced a decline in visual acuity and noticed metamorphopsia in her left eye. Examination revealed bilateral serous retinal detachment, leading to VKH diagnosis. A collaborative effort involving the departments of ophthalmology, internal medicine, and neonatology was initiated. Steroid pulse therapy was administered at 34 weeks and 1 day of pregnancy under hospital supervision. Complications, such as threatened preterm labor and gestational diabetes, emerged, necessitating the initiation of oral ritodrine hydrochloride and insulin therapy. Then, serous retinal detachment was resolved, and visual acuity was restored. Labor pains initiated 32 days post-initiation of steroid pulse therapy (at 38 weeks and 4 days of gestation), culminating in a normal delivery. Mother and newborn experienced an uneventful puerperal course and were discharged from the hospital on the 5th day following delivery.

CONCLUSION

VKH management in pregnancy requires multidisciplinary coordination, emphasizing collaboration with ophthalmologists and specialists in internal medicine and neonatology.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in pregnancy: Case report and review of 32 patients in the literature

Key Clinical Message

Systemic prednisolone including steroid pulse therapy would be safe in 32 pregnant women, who developed Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in the literature. Prednisolone administration would be shortened by monitoring of serous retinal detachment with optical coherence tomography.

Abstract

A 30-year-old woman in 31 weeks of pregnancy with metamorphopsia and headache was diagnosed Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. She underwent steroid pulse therapy and oral prednisolone 20 mg daily for 3 weeks until complete resolution of serous retinal detachment monitored by optical coherence tomography. Oral prednisolone was tapered and discontinued until uneventful delivery.

The Diagnostic Value of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as an Effective Biomarker for Eye Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) reflects a dynamic relationship between the innate (neutrophils) and adaptive (lymphocytes) cellular immune response. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to critically evaluate the literature regarding the use of the NLR as a reliable means to detect several ocular disorders. Our study was registered with the PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022314850). Three databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Web of Science, were searched on September 9, 2022, with no restrictions on the article's language. Finally, 32 articles were recognized as eligible for our meta-analysis. We found that patients with eye diseases had significantly elevated levels of NLR in comparison to healthy controls (SMD =0.53, 95% CI =0.35-0.71, P < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, patients with keratoconus (SMD =0.69; 95% CI =0.33-1.05, P < 0.001), glaucoma (SMD =0.56, 95% CI =0.25-0.87, P < 0.001), pterygium (SMD =0.14; 95% CI =0.01-0.26, P < 0.001), and idiopathic epiretinal membrane (SMD =0.14; 95% CI =0.01-0.26, P < 0.001) had higher levels of NLR compared to healthy controls. However, NLR levels of patients with dry eye disease were similar to healthy controls (SMD =0.32, 95% CI = -0.49-1.13, P = 0.435). It can be said that NLR is a valuable marker of systemic inflammation, which is significantly increased in many eye disorders, suggesting that inflammation plays a key role in the pathophysiology of these diseases.