Cytomegalovirus as a Cause of Recurrent Anterior Uveitis in Immunocompetent Patients.

Park, Jihyun; Chung, Jae Lim; Lee, Sung Ho; Hong, Young Jae

doi:2010.51.9.1245

J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > Volume 51(9); 2010 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2010;51(9):1245-1249.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2010.51.9.1245 Published online September 15, 2010.

Cytomegalovirus as a Cause of Recurrent Anterior Uveitis in Immunocompetent Patients.

Jihyun Park, Jae Lim Chung, Sung Ho Lee, Young Jae Hong

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jlchung@kimeye.com
²Lumieye Genetics Institute, Seoul, Korea.
³Nune Eye Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

면역기능이 정상인 재발성 전안부 포도막염환자에서 거대세포바이러스의 임상적 중요성

박지현¹ㆍ정재림^1,3ㆍ이성호²ㆍ홍영재³

Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine¹, Seoul, Korea Lumieye Genetics Institute², Seoul, Korea Nune Eye Hospital³, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to identify various infectious causes in unilateral recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis in immunocompetent individuals. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 20 patients diagnosed with recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis, who had negative systemic uveitis lab results, were enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood specimens to detect the following infectious agents: cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), varicella zoster virus (VZV), toxoplasma. RESULTS: The mean age of 20 patients was 41.8 +/- 15.9 year (19-77 year), and 14 (70%) patients were male. CMV was positive in 7 eyes (35%) and was detected only in aqueous humor. HSV-1 was positive in 5 (25%) eyes; only in aqueous humor in 2 eyes, only in blood in 1 eye, and in both specimens in 2 eyes. Only 1 (5%) eye was positive for toxoplasma in the aqueous humor. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that CMV might be another major infectious cause in recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis in immunocompetent patients. If CMV is detected, it might be reasonable to add appropriate antiviral agents, rather than treating only with immunosuppresive and hypotensive drugs.

Key Words: Cytomegalovirus;Polymerase chain reaction;Recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis