scholarly journals Stabilization of Bilateral Progressive Rheumatoid Corneal Melt with Infliximab

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheelah F. Antao ◽  
Tariq Ayoub ◽  
Hasan Tahir ◽  
Dipak N. Parmar

Purpose. To report the use of infliximab in the rapid stabilization of a case of progressive, bilateral rheumatoid peripheral ulcerative keratitis (PUK) that failed to respond to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.Methods. A single interventional case report.Results. A patient with rheumatoid arthritis presented with bilateral PUK following a 2-month history of ocular discomfort and redness. His systemic prednisolone (PDN) and methotrexate (MTX) were increased and, despite an initial favorable response, bilateral recurrent corneal perforations ensued. Both eyes underwent cyanoacrylate glue repair, amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT), and penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Recurrence of the disease and bilateral perforations of the second PKP in both eyes prompted administration of intravenous infliximab immediately after the fourth PKP. The disease activity rapidly settled in both eyes, and at eighteen-month followup, after 12 infliximab infusions, the PUK remains quiescent with no further graft thinning or perforation.Conclusion. Infliximab can be used to arrest the progression of severe bilateral rheumatoid PUK in cases that are refractory to conventional treatment.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhad Nejat ◽  
Khosrow Jadidi ◽  
Shima Eghtedari ◽  
Maryam Moradi ◽  
Nazanin Sadat Nabavi

Abstract Background: conjunctival nevi are benign ocular lesions with a low risk of malignant transformation to melanoma. Due to cosmetic reasons patients usually consider surgical removal options. In this case report, we are presenting a new approach using plasma-assisted noninvasive surgery (PANIS) with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) to sublimate the nevus border and fuse the AMT with the remaining conjunctiva.Case presentation: A 33-year-old man with a history of large conjunctival nevus in his left eye, that its benignity was proved by an expert ophthalmologist through years of examination, has visited our center in September 2020. Plasma spots were used to sublimate the nevus border and fuse AMT with the conjunctiva. The patient was discharged fully satisfied without any complications and no recurrences were seen in a year of follow-up. Visual parameters were not significantly changed while the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was reduced dramatically. Conclusion: Conjunctival nevi removal using the PANIS method with AMT is a safe, minimally invasive, and inexpensive therapeutic option. Plasma spots are suitable for AMT adhesion to the remaining conjunctiva after the nevus removal.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip B. Meadow ◽  
Jacqueline Nguyen ◽  
Keerthana Kesavarapu

Purpose.To report a case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tofacitinib citrate.Methods.Observational case report.Results.A 59-year-old patient, with a history of rheumatoid arthritis, on methotrexate 10 mg PO qwk and IV abatacept 750 mg/month, presented with photosensitivity, foreign body sensation, pain, redness, and blurry vision of her right eye (RE). Visual acuity of the RE was 20/200 and 20/20 of the left eye (LE). The slit lamp examination of the RE revealed dryness, 2+ injection of the conjunctiva, and pericentral ulceration of the cornea with 20–30% stromal thinning, pannus, and diffuse punctate epithelial erosions. The anterior chamber appeared normal. Laboratory values revealed elevated levels of rheumatoid factor, anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, and C-reactive protein. The patient was switched to tofacitinib citrate 5 mg PO b.i.d, underwent corneal gluing, and was given prednisone acetate 1% gt TID, polytrim gt TID, neomycin-polymyxin-dexameth gt QD, FreshKote lubricant 1.8% gt QID, moxifloxacin 0.5% gt QID, and preservative free artificial tears Q1H. Within one week, laboratory values normalized, symptoms diminished, and the cornea reepithelialized.Conclusion.RA can present with ulcerative keratitis. Tofacitinib citrate, steroids, and corneal gluing were found to halt the progression of keratolysis and promote reepithelialization.


Author(s):  
Thafar S. A. Safar ◽  
Karmen B. Katay ◽  
Reem H. Khamis

At the end of 2019, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Worldwide researchers and physician try to explore the mechanisms of damage induced by virus, they focus on the short-term and long-term immune-mediated consequences induced by the virus infection. Every day discover a new pathological condition induced by virus and new symptoms and disease may occur after recovery from disease. Our case report is 41 years old, Indian lady who presented to our primary health care centre complaining of multiple small hand joints pain, both elbows and knees pain with swelling of them and prolonged morning stiffness, diagnosed seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (arthritis, positive rheumatoid factor (RF), and X-ray changes) after 1 month recovery from COVID-19 infection. She did not have any joint pain and she had negative RF before COVID-19 infection with no family history of RA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (236) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachana Singh Rana ◽  
Leena Bajracharya ◽  
Reeta Gurung

Granular – lattice (Avellino) corneal dystrophy is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion which affects stroma of the cornea with recurrent erosions and decreased vision due to clouding of cornea in later stage. We reported a case of 53-year old woman presented with pain and blurring of vision of left eye for 10 days with history of right eye deep anterior lamellar dystrophy and Left eye penetrating keratoplasty 5years back for Avellino dystrophy. On examination right eye graft was clear and left eye showed circular edges of irregular epithelium with patchy stains and epithelial defect suggestive of recurrence of dystrophy. A patient with recurrent corneal erosions and opacity in cornea has to be examined carefully so as not to overlook Avellino corneal dystrophy. Being a rare disorder this case has been reported to draw the attention of ophthalmologists about its recurrence following keratoplasty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qurat Ul Ain Amjad ◽  
Spencer Ellis

Abstract Case report - Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory arthropathy with systemic manifestations. It is 4-times more common in females. RA is recognised to induce bone loss and decrease in bone mineral density (BMD). Management may include corticosteroids (CS) for new presentations, acute flares, and more rarely longer-term management, which increases bone fragility. Patients are at 30—50% increased risk of developing osteoporosis with a 30% increase in fracture risk. This risk rises with the level of persistent disease inflammation. We present a case of a lady with longstanding RA, who sustained multiple bone fractures without significant osteoporosis on bone density scanning. Case report - Case description Our patient is a 64-year-old headteacher who took early retirement due to reduced mobility after 20 years of seropositive RA. She had received multiple disease modifying drugs (DMARDs) and biologics therapies, requiring repeated alterations primarily due to treatment failure. She was commenced on alendronic acid due to osteopaenia of the hip but 2 years later sustained a fractured neck of femur and was switched to risedronate. A year later she presented with acutely painful and swollen right foot and ankle without history of trauma. X-rays showed progressive degenerative change whilst inflammatory markers were normal. Ultrasound demonstrated sub-clinical synovitis. Her medication was optimised but the ankle swelling persisted, rendering her wheelchair-reliant. MRI revealed multiple stress fractures involving calcaneum, talus and 5th proximal phalanx. She was treated with 16 weeks of an Aircast boot. An old right upper medial tibial fracture was also identified. Repeat dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan showed osteopaenia but with improvement from the previous scan (T score of -2.1 total hip and -1.6 lumbar vertebra). She smoked 1 cigarette a day, did not drink alcohol and there was no parental history of fractures. No evidence of malabsorption or endocrine disorder was identified. Unusually, she had received tamoxifen in her late 20s for cancer prevention based on breast fibroadenosis and she experienced early menopause aged 36 years. Inflammatory markers, calcium, parathyroid hormone, and immunoglobulins were normal. Vitamin D3 levels were insufficient at 40.3 nmol/l and replacement was initiated, following which she was switched to intravenous zoledronic acid. After one infusion of zolendronate, she twisted her right ankle and sustained a new malleolar fracture. She was converted to 6-monthly denosumab injections along with calcium and vitamin D, which has been continued. Her RA remains active, and she has recently commenced JAK2 inhibitors. Case report - Discussion Inflammatory arthropathies such as RA predispose to significant morbidity and disability. An earlier age of diagnosis poses a longer inflammatory response in body, with a higher incidence of bone health complications. A treat-to-target strategy in RA aids optimal disease management and reduces fracture risk. Studies have shown the risk of osteoporosis in RA is not just disease dependent but also affected by certain medications. Treatment challenges arise when a patient sustains fracture despite a BMD above osteoporosis risk criteria, leading us to consider other variables. She was further investigated for secondary causes of osteoporosis, including endocrine causes, and was found to be vitamin D insufficient, which was replaced prior to further antiresorptive treatment. Our case also highlights a diagnostic dilemma given that our patient presented with a single swollen joint assumed to be due to active RA. Multiple insufficiency fractures were only identified after MRI was performed. As per EULAR criteria, our patient had difficult to treat RA with a long disease duration. She showed intolerance to a several DMARDs and treatment failure with multiple biologic therapies. She had required local joint injections and repeated short courses of oral steroids. These factors are likely to have played a considerable role in her fracture development. RA is an independent risk factor for fracture in both men and women with disease duration and CS use being important clinical variables. Bisphosphonates are considered vital in fracture risk reduction. The compliance is an important factor for both primary and secondary prevention of fracture. They are associated with decreased bone remodelling and have been well studied for atypical femoral fractures; however, whether there is any link with stress fractures in the feet requires further studies. Long-term use (>5years) hasn’t shown to be beneficial in preventing hip fractures. Case report - Key learning points


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