Anterior uveitis: a manifestation of graft-versus-host disease

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the occurrence of anterior uveitis along with systemic manifestations of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after nonmyeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in 3 patients with hematologic malignancies.

Design: Retrospective small case series.

Participants: Three patients who underwent HSCT and 4 age- and gender-matched controls for cytokine analysis in ocular fluid.

Methods: Interventional study of patients who underwent HSCT. Screening for evidence of infectious causes and immunological analysis of ocular fluid samples.

Main outcome measures: Clinical features of uveitis and results of aqueous analysis.

Results: Anterior uveitis developed during an exacerbation of chronic GVHD in 3 patients after allogeneic HSCT for hematologic malignancies. Patients exhibited no abnormalities on extensive uveitis screening, and in addition, serologic and wide-ranging aqueous analysis showed no evidence of recent infections. We observed signs of inflammation in the ocular fluid in 2 of 3 patients by the determination of different cytokines. No other explanation for uveitis was found except the exacerbation of GVHD. Treatment, both systemic and topical, directed to chronic GVHD induced remission of uveitis in all patients along with amelioration of other signs of GVHD.

Conclusions: Anterior uveitis occurred in the wake of the acute exacerbation of chronic GVHD after HSCT and may represent an ocular manifestation of chronic GVHD.