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Case Reports
. 2023 Dec 12:13:Doc24.
doi: 10.3205/oc000232. eCollection 2023.

Infliximab-induced retrobulbar optic neuritis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis

Sema Dündar  1 , Mimbay Yaşar  2 , Harun Çakmak  1 , Nefati Kıylıoğlu  3 , Alparslan Ünsal  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Infliximab-induced retrobulbar optic neuritis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis

Sema Dündar et al. GMS Ophthalmol Cases. .

Abstract

Objective: To present a case with infliximab-induced retrobulbar optic neuritis.

Case description: A 58-year-old woman presented to our clinic with a two-day history of blurred vision in her right eye. She had numerous uveitis attacks previously, and she was on infliximab treatment for ankylosing spondylitis. Her best-corrected visual acuity was counting fingers and 20/25 in the right and left eye, respectively. Optic discs seemed healthy in fundoscopic examination. The right optic nerve showed high signal intensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Infliximab treatment was discontinued and systemic steroid therapy was started. After the treatment her best-corrected visual acuity improved to 20/20 in her right eye.

Conclusion: Infliximab is a chimeric human-murine monoclonal antibody used in autoimmune diseases. Optic neuritis is a rare but important side effect of infliximab. Thus, infliximab-induced optic neuritis should be kept in mind for patients receiving infliximab treatment.

Keywords: ankylosing spondylitis; anti-TNF; demyelinating disease; infliximab; optic neuritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Fundus photograph (FP) of both eyes
Figure 2
Figure 2. Normal fundus fluorescein angiography findings
Figure 3
Figure 3. T2 weighted sequence MRI of the brain and orbits revealed high signal intensity in the right optic nerve.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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