Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T01:30:14.667Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Uveitis Associated with Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

A.R. Woolfenden
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
N.K. Wade
Affiliation:
Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
P. Tang
Affiliation:
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
A. Chalmers
Affiliation:
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
G. Reid
Affiliation:
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
P.A. Teal
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Background:

In Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System (PACNS), disease is typically limited to the brain and spinal cord although other organs may be affected. Uveitis is occasionally seen in systemic vasculitides but is not a recognized manifestation of PACNS. We describe two patients who developed PACNS following the onset of uveitis.

Case Descriptions:

Case 1-A 47-year-old male suffered multiple TIAs and left pontine stroke shortly after two episodes of diffuse uveitis. A cerbral angiogram demonstrated multiple caliber changes within several intracranial vessels. Cyclophosphamide was added after his stroke occurred during pulse methylprednisolone therapy. Case 2- A 35-year-old male suffered a spinal cord TIA followed by hemispheric and brainstem infarctions two months after an episode of uveitis and Bell's palsy treated with oral prednisone. A cerebral angiogram demonstrated multiple caliber changes within several intracranial vessels. He was successfully treated with oral prednisone and cyclophosphamide.

Conclusions:

Uveitis should be considered a recognized feature of PACNS. Combination immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and cyclophosphamide may be necessary for successful treatment.

Résumé:

RÉSUMÉ: Contexte:

Dans l'angéite primaire du système nerveux central (APSNC), il est typique d'observer une atteinte limitée au cerveau et à la moelle épinière, bien que d'autres organes puissent être touchés. On peut occasionnellement observer une uvéite dans les vasculites systémiques, mais l'uvéite n'est pas une manifestation reconnue de l'APSNC. Nous décrivons les cas de deux patients qui ont développé une APSNC suite à une uvéite.

Observations:

Observation 1 : Un homme de 47 ans a présenté de multiples épisodes d'accidents ischémiques transitoires (AIT) et un accident vasculaire cérébral peu après deux épisodes d'uvéite diffuse. Un angiogramme cérébral a mis en évidence de multiples changements de calibre au niveau de plusieurs vaisseaux intracrâniens. On a ajouté du cyclophosphamide à sa corticothérapie (méthylprednisolone) à doses en perfusions intraveineuses rapides. Cas 2 : Un homme de 35 ans a présenté une AIT à la moelle épinière suivie d'infarcissement hémisphérique et du tronc cérébral deux mois après un épisode d'uvéite et de paralysie de Bell traité par la prednisone par voie orale. Àl'angiogramme, on a observé de multiples changements de calibre de plusieurs vaisseaux intracrâniens. Il a été traité avec succès par la prednisone et la cyclophosphamide par voie orale.

Conclusions:

L'uvéite devrait être reconnue comme une manifestation possible de l'APSNC. Il peut être nécessaire d'avoir recours à un traitement immunosuppresseur combinant la prednisone et la cyclophosphamide pour assurer le succès du traitement.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2007

References

1. Hankey, GJ. Isolated angiitis/angiopathy of the central nervous system. Cerebrovasc Dis. 1991;1:215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Abu-Shakra, M, Khraishi, M, Grosman, H, Lewtas, J, Cividino, A, Keystone, EC. Primary angiitis of the CNS diagnosed by angiography. Q J Med. 1994;87:3518.Google Scholar
3. Lie, JT. Primary (Granulomatous) Angiitis of the central nervous system: A clinicopathologic analysis of 15 new cases and a review of the literature. Hum Pathol. 1992;23:16471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Vine, AK. Retinal vasculitis. Sem Neurol. 1994;14:35460.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Rosenbaum, JT, Roman-Goldstein, S, Lindquist, GR, Rosenbaum, RB. Uveitis and central nervous system vasculitis. J Rheumatol. 1998;25:5937.Google Scholar
6. Vollmer, TL, Guarnaccia, J, Harrington, W, Pacia, SV, Petroff, OAC. Idiopathic granulomatous angiitis of the central nervous system: Diagnostic Challenges. Arch Neurol. 1993;50:92530.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Moore, PM. Diagnosis and management of isolated angiitis of the central nervous system. Neurology. 1989;39:16773.Google Scholar
8. Calabrese, LH, Gragg, LA, Furlan, AJ. Benign angiopathy: A distinct subset of angiographically defined primary angiitis of the central nervous system. J Rheumatol. 1993;20:204650.Google Scholar
9. Woolfenden, AR, Tong, DC, Marks, MP, Ali, AO, Albers, GW. Angiographically defined primary angiitis of the central nervous system: Is it really benign? Neurology. 1998;51:1838.Google Scholar
10. Shikishima, K, Lee, WR, Behan, WM, Foulds, WS. Uveitis and retinal vasculitis in acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in the Lewis rat: an ultrastructural study. Exp Eye Res. 1993;56: 16775.Google Scholar