Ligneous conjunctivitis

Laryngeal obstruction in congenital plasminogen deficiency

Type 1 congenital plasminogen deficiency (CPD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease which causes formation of fibrin pseudomembranes that affect multiple systems/organs: the eyes, respiratory system, urinary and genital systems, gastrointestinal system, and the central nervous system. We present a rare manifestation of the disease-severe upper airway obstruction due to a rapidly growing mass in the supraglottic region-6 months after dental treatment under general anesthesia. The management of such a manifestation has not been discussed in the current literature. Due to deterioration in his clinical status, the patient eventually underwent both a tracheotomy in order to bypass the obstruction, and excision of the supraglottic mass. Within a few days the mass recurred with complete obstruction of the upper airway.

Plasminogen deficiency

Plasminogen deficiency has emerged as a well-recognized disorder in which reduced levels of plasminogen lead to the development of pseudo membranes on mucosal surfaces, with subsequent end-organ damage of the affected tissue. Ligneous conjunctivitis is the most recognizable, well-documented, and common presentation of the clinical syndromes associated with plasminogen deficiency, although numerous other organs have been reported to be affected. Interestingly, while plasminogen deficiency was initially believed to be related to development of venous thromboembolic disease, more recent data suggest that decreased plasminogen levels may not, in and of themselves, increase the risk of thrombosis. Two types of plasminogen deficiency have been described in the literature. Type I represents a quantitative deficiency and type II a qualitative deficiency. It appears that hypoplasminogenaemia (type I deficiency) is the type most associated with pseudomembrane disease. A variety of genetic mutations has been identified recently and is reported to lead to these disorders. These defects have been identified in diverse populations, with no specific ethnic predilection. However, this disorder may have increased prevalence in areas and communities where consanguinity is more common. Despite the fact that the characteristic lesions are now better recognized and plasminogen levels are accurately and easily measured, adequate treatment of the clinical manifestations of this disorder is lacking. For ligneous conjunctivitis, a plasminogen concentrate formulated into an ophthalmologic preparation has been found to be an effective local therapy. Unfortunately, no plasminogen concentrate is currently available commercially for either systemic or local therapy.

Ligneous conjunctivitis

Ligneous conjunctivitis (McKusick 217090) is a rare form of chronic conjunctivitis characterized by the development of firm fibrin-rich, woody-like pseudomembraneous lesions mainly on the tarsal conjunctivae. Less frequently, similar lesions may occur on other mucous membranes of the body indicating that these manifestations are part of a systemic disease. Histopathological findings from affected humans and (plasminogen-deficient) mice indicate that wound healing, mainly of injured mucosal tissue, is impaired due to markedly decreased (plasmin-mediated) extracellular fibrinolysis. Pseudomembraneous lesions of the eyes and other mucosal tissue mainly contain clotted fibrin(ogen). Actually, systemic plasminogen deficiency has been linked to ligneous conjunctivitis in humans and mice. In one case, ligneous conjunctivitis has been induced by antifibrinolytic treatment with tranexamic acid. Further rare associated disorders of ligneous conjunctivitis are congenital occlusive hydrocephalus and juvenile colloid milium. This review outlines the historical background, clinical characteristics of ligneous conjunctivitis and its associated complications, histological abnormalities of pseudomembraneous lesions, inheritance, hemostasiologic and molecular genetic findings in affected patients, current treatment approaches, and the plasminogen-deficient mouse as an animal model.

Ligneous conjunctivitis: biochemical evidence for hypofibrinolysis

Ligneous conjunctivitis (LC) is a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by the growth of "woody" plaques on ocular and extraocular mucosa. These lesions are comprised of fibrin and both direct and indirect evidence implicates hypofibrinolysis as the primary defect in LC. To further elucidate the pathophysiology of LC we investigated the biochemical aspects of ligneous lesions with respect to the fibrinolytic system. Ligneous lesions were obtained from the right eye of a 15 year-old female patient with longstanding LC since age 2.5 year. Ligneous conjunctivitis in this patient has exhibited a chronic recurrent coarse and has involved multiple muscosal sites. Samples analyzed included an abundant mucoid thread from the conjunctival fornix and the ligneous plaque attached to the inferior tarsus. Samples were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to characterize protein profiles and by a variety of zymographic methods to visualize fibrinolytic enzymes. We found that mucoid and ligneous samples were distinct entities. Specifically, ligneous samples contained polypeptides with electrophoretic profiles characteristic of intact fibrin, and were replete in fibrin-bound tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Despite the presence of ample t-PA, ligneous samples were essentially devoid of fibrinolytic activity. In contrast, neither proteins nor t-PA could be detected in mucoid samples when fractionated by 7.5-15% SDS-PAGE or analyzed by fibrin zymography, respectively. Despite the absence of t-PA, mucoid samples were replete in fibrinolytic activity. This activity was plasminogen independent, heterogenous and inhibited by PMSF. Degradation profiles suggested that this activity represented in part alpha-chymotrypsin, consistent with this patient's treatment regime, as well as plasmin, elastase and an unidentified neutrophil-derived activity. Interestingly, ligneous samples contained both latent and activated forms of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), whereas mucoid samples contained predominantly activated forms of MMP-9. LC is characterized by defective fibrinolysis, despite the presence of ample t-PA and intact fibrin, and by an abundant mucoid thread which binds both endogenous and exogenous enzymes including serine protease(s) and collagenase(s). The implications of these results with respect to a role for exuberant mucus production or abnormal mucins in the development of a relative mucosal-site specific plasmin(ogen) deficiency is discussed.

Topical heparin in the treatment of ligneous conjunctivitis

BACKGROUND

Ligneous conjunctivitis is a rare acute or subacute membranous conjunctivitis of unknown etiology for which no generally accepted form of treatment is available.

METHODS

Between 1972 and 1993, 17 patients with ligneous conjunctivitis were treated with excision biopsy, meticulous hemostasis, and immediate, intensive topical treatment with heparin, steroids, and, in 12 patients, alpha-chymotrypsin until all signs of conjunctival inflammation had subsided.

RESULTS

On histologic examination, the lesions consisted of subepithelial deposits of fibrin in all patients. Eight patients had no recurrence (mean follow-up, 33.1 months) and in four patients the conjunctivitis was controlled after one repeat excision and topical treatment (mean follow-up, 40.3 months). One patient had three recurrences before responding to treatment (follow-up, 24 months). In four patients, treatment was unsuccessful, although lesion-free intervals were longer than usually seen in this condition (mean, 7.8 months).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that intensive and early use of topical heparin may improve therapy results in ligneous conjunctivitis.

Ligneous conjunctivitis: an ophthalmic disease with potentially fatal tracheobronchial obstruction. Laryngeal and tracheobronchial features

Ligneous conjunctivitis is a rare disease of unknown cause characterized by pseudomembranous, fibrous, woody, plaquelike deposits on the conjunctiva. The disease appears to be hereditary and/or familial. Deposits similar to those found in the eye occur in the larynx, tracheobronchial tree, nose and nasopharynx, and vagina. When these lesions occur in the larynx and tracheobronchial tree, voice change and potentially life-threatening obstruction and pulmonary disease may occur. This paper reports the findings in a child with ligneous conjunctivitis who was followed for 1 1/2 years and who had laryngeal and tracheobronchial involvement with voice change and airway obstruction. The literature is reviewed and the histopathologic findings and endoscopic findings and management of the patient are documented. Because the patient had multiple papillomata of both hands, a possible association with human papillomavirus was suspected but never confirmed.

Immunohistologic findings and results of treatment with cyclosporine in ligneous conjunctivitis

Using immunohistochemical techniques, we studied ligneous conjunctival lesions from two patients. A significant immune reaction was detected that was characterized by activated T lymphocytes and focal accumulation of plasma cells and B lymphocytes. Immunofluorescent studies demonstrated that IgG was a prominent component of the amorphous hyaline material seen in these lesions. After previous treatment methods had failed, both patients were treated with excisional biopsy and topical cyclosporine. Patient 1 had a dramatic response, with complete resolution of the lesions. Patient 2 had a significant improvement resulting in small, slow-growing recurrences instead of the rapid and extensive recurrences that occurred before treatment with cyclosporine.

Ligneous conjunctivitis. A clinicopathologic study of 17 cases

Seventeen cases of ligneous conjunctivitis were studied. Most of the patients were children; however, two elderly individuals were involved (range, birth to 85 years). The most common site was the tarsal conjunctiva, where firm sessile or pedunculated membranous lesions were seen. However, corneal involvement, as well as similar and recurrent lesions, were also present in the larynx, vocal cords, trachea, nose, vagina, cervix, and gingiva. Many recurrences (up to 10 times) rapidly followed simple surgical excision in all patients. Histopathologically, the lesions were characterized by subepithelial, eosinophilic, amorphous material admixed with acute and chronic inflammatory cells. The finding of amorphous material containing fibrin, immunoglobulins, and albumin suggested leakage from hyperpermeable blood vessels. Electron microscopic studies of the lesions disclosed few abnormal blood vessels with wide gaps between endothelial cells that were surrounded by a thick multilaminar basement membrane. The duration of the disease ranged from 4 months to 44 years. After several recurrences, spontaneous resolution occurred in six patients.

Ligneous conjunctivitis: an autosomal recessive disorder

Two siblings, a boy and a girl, developed a chronic, bilateral conjunctivitis with large recurrent pseudomembranes. The diagnosis of ligneous conjunctivitis was made by excisional biopsies in both. The family was referred for genetic counseling after the second child developed the disorder. On the basis of this family and previous reports, we believe that ligneous conjunctivitis is a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern and that genetic counseling should be offered to the parents of affected children.