Retinal vasculitis in two pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report

Abstract

We report two pediatric female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who presented with decreased vision. Both patients were found to have retinal vasculitis and occlusive disease. The first patient also presented with vitreous hemorrhage and later non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. She was treated with panretinal photocoagulation and steroid therapy and later in her disease course was treated with rituximab and cyclophosphamide. Her vision remained decreased. The second patient was treated with rituximab and monthly cyclophosphamide infusions early in her disease course, and her vision improved dramatically. The difference in the presentations and outcomes of these two pediatric patients with SLE highlights the spectrum of severity of SLE retinopathy. We suggest that early recognition of disease and early intervention with B-cell depletion therapy in addition to a traditional cytotoxic agent should be considered in pediatric patients with SLE and occlusive retinopathy.

Figure 1

Fluorescein angiography of Patient #1 showing normal fundus of right eye.

Figure 2

Fluorescein angiography of Left eye of Patient #1 showing [a] large area of capillary non-perfusion (outlined by solid arrows) and [b] superotemporal view showing distortion of vessels (asterisk) indicating traction, with area of non-perfusion.

Figure 3

Photograph of right fundus of Patient #2 showing scattered nerve fiber layer infarcts (solid arrows) and retinal hemorrhage (outlined arrows).

Figure 4

Photographs of fundi of Patient #2 showing [a] Right fundus with improvement in changes caused by vasculitis and [b] normal appearing fundus on the Left.