Kanika Aggarwal

The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada Disease

ABSTRACT Purpose: To report the imaging characteristics of acute Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: In this prospective study, patients with acute VKH (n = 10; mean age: 30.5 ± 13.43 years) underwent multimodal imaging (baseline and follow-up) using fundus photography, fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), OCT, and OCTA. The OCTA images were analyzed to assess the retinochoroidal vasculature and compared with other imaging techniques. Results: During the active stage, all eyes showed multiple foci of choriocapillaris flow void that correlated with ICGA. These foci decreased in number and size after initiation of therapy. In one patient, flow void areas reappeared after cessation of therapy without any detectable change on ICGA. This patient soon developed clinical recurrence requiring re-initiation of immunosuppression. Conclusions: OCTA allows high-resolution imaging of inflammatory foci suggestive of choriocapillaris hypoperfusion in acute VKH disease non-invasively. OCTA may be very helpful in the follow-up of such patients.

NOVEL FINDINGS ON OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH TUBERCULAR SERPIGINOUS-LIKE CHOROIDITIS

Purpose: To analyze and describe the imaging characteristics of tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to compare these findings with multimodal imaging. Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, multimodal imaging was performed in subjects with tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis using OCTA (Optovue RTVue XR Avanti), enhanced-depth imaging OCT (Heidelberg Spectralis), fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography. Distinct morphologic features of the retinochoroidal vasculature at the sites of choroiditis lesions were analyzed on OCTA imaging. Multimodal imaging analysis was performed to study the changes observed on OCTA. Results: Eighteen eyes (18 subjects, 16 males) were included in the study. The en face OCTA images demonstrated discrete areas of flow void beneath the retinal pigment epithelium–Bruch membrane layer suggestive of choriocapillaris hypoperfusion that corresponded well with indocyanine green angiography, especially in the chronic phase. Additional information such as areas of preserved choriocapillaris, vascular tufts, and tangled vessels were observed using OCTA among lesions in advanced stages of healing. Compared with indocyanine green angiography, the areas of choriocapillaris atrophy appeared better defined on OCTA and correlated well with enhanced-depth imaging OCT. Conclusion: The OCTA images provide high-resolution structural information of the retinochoroidal vasculature in tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis. Morphologic information obtained from OCTA images correlates well with and supplements other imaging techniques such as indocyanine green angiography and enhanced-depth imaging OCT.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Features of Paradoxical Worsening in Tubercular Multifocal Serpiginoid Choroiditis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To describe optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) features of lesions of tubercular multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis (TB MSC) that developed paradoxical worsening (PW). Methods: In this prospective study, subjects with TB MSC who developed PW upon initiation of anti-tubercular therapy were included. Multimodal imaging was performed using OCTA, enhanced-depth imaging OCT, fluorescein angiography (FA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Morphologic changes in the retinochoroidal vasculature during progression of TB MSC were assessed on OCTA. Results: Five subjects (4 males, 1 female) were included in the study. PW of the lesions was associated with increased areas of choriocapillaris flow void on en face OCTA in all eyes. The lesions showed partial healing in the center and continuous progression at the active edges. Two eyes showed development of vascular tufts on OCTA as the lesions progressed. Conclusions: OCTA provides high-resolution imaging of progressive choriocapillaris hypoperfusion among TB MSC patients developing PW of the disease.

Role of Ultra-Wide Field Imaging in the Management of Tubercular Posterior Uveitis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess the utility of ultra-wide field (UWF) versus conventional fundus imaging in the management of tubercular (TB) posterior uveitis. Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients (33 eyes) diagnosed with TB posterior uveitis in a tertiary care center who underwent UWF fundus photography and fluorescein angiography (FA) between July 2014 and March 2015 were included. Complete clinical and imaging records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed. A circle simulating the central 75-degree field was drawn on UWF pseudocolor and fluorescein angiography images. Findings within the circle were compared with the information yielded by the complete image and its impact on patient management was noted. Results: The clinical manifestations of posterior tubercular uveitis included retinal vasculitis (17 eyes), multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis (13 eyes), choroidal granulomas (2 eyes) and intermediate uveitis (1 eye). UWF imaging revealed additional capillary non-perfusion areas, neovascularization, active vasculitis, and peripheral choroiditis lesions in 30/33 eyes (90.9%), which influenced treatment decision in 15 eyes (45.5%). Conclusions: UWF imaging is useful in the detection of peripheral pathologies in tubercular posterior uveitis that may influence management decisions, such as addition of immunosuppressive therapy or scatter laser photocoagulation.

Epidemiology of Uveitis in a Tertiary-care Referral Institute in North India

ABSTRACT Purpose: To report epidemiology of uveitis in a tertiary-care referral institute in North India. Methods: Hospital records of patients with uveitis between June 2011 and September 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of the 1912 patients, 56.64% were males. Anterior uveitis (43.04%) was the most common manifestation followed by posterior uveitis (24.58%), panuveitis (16.21%), and intermediate uveitis (10.66%). Specific etiologies could be ascertained in 60.56%. Tuberculosis (22.9%) was the most common infectious and HLA-B27-associated uveitis (9.46%) among non-infectious causes. Conclusions: There is a trend towards a decrease in idiopathic etiologies of uveitis. Tuberculosis remains the most common infectious etiology in North India.

Distinguishing features of acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and acute central serous chorioretinopathy on optical coherence tomography angiography and en face optical coherence tomography imaging

BackgroundThe aim of this study is to determine the differences in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) features of acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) and acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Clinical and imaging data of patients with acute CSC and VKH in a tertiary-care institute were analyzed. Multimodal imaging including fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and enhanced-depth imaging OCT were performed. OCTA images were analyzed for alterations in retinochoroidal microvasculature.ResultsThirty-four eyes (24 patients; 10 with VKH and 14 with CSC) were included. OCTA en face images showed apparent areas of choriocapillaris flow void due to shadowing effect from overlying subretinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment in CSC. However, eyes with VKH showed presence of true choriocapillaris flow void on OCTA that corresponded to choriocapillaris ischemia on ICGA.ConclusionsOCTA is a useful tool to assess choriocapillaris ischemia in VKH and is helpful to differentiate it from CSC in the acute stage.

The Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study (COTS)-1 Report 3: Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Diagnosis and Management of Tubercular Uveitis: Global Trends

ABSTRACT Purpose: To analyze the role of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of ocular fluids in management of tubercular (TB) anterior, intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis. Methods: In Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study (COTS)-1 (25 centers, n = 962), patients with TB-related uveitis were included. 59 patients undergoing PCR of intraocular fluids (18 females; 53 Asian Indians) were included. Results: 59 (6.13%) of COTS-1 underwent PCR analysis. PCR was positive for Mycobacterium TB in 33 patients (23 males; all Asian Indians). 26 patients were PCR negative (18 males). Eight patients with negative PCR had systemic TB. Anti-TB therapy was given in 18 negative and 31 PCR cases. At 1-year follow-up, five patients with positive PCR (15.15%) and three with negative PCR (11.54%) had persistence/worsening of inflammation. Conclusions: Data from COTS-1 suggest that PCR is not commonly done for diagnosing intraocular TB and positive/negative results may not influence management or treatment outcomes in the real world scenario.

Management of Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Review on Landmark Randomized Controlled Trials.

In the last decade, a number of prospective clinical trials with carefully designed study protocols have been conducted for the treatment of neovascular age.related macular degeneration (AMD). These landmark clinical trials such as ANCHOR and MARINA and, more recently, the Comparison of AMD Treatment Trials and VIEW studies have revolutionized the management of neovascular AMD. While AMD continues to remain a leading cause of severe visual loss worldwide, advances in pharmacotherapeutics have led to substantial improvements in the outcome of these patients. The introduction of anti.vascular endothelial growth factor agents has resulted in improvement of visual outcomes and has had a positive impact on the quality of life among elderly population. While the contemporary management of neovascular AMD has been successful in tremendously reducing the visual morbidity, the financial burden of therapy has increased exponentially. To overcome these challenges, newer pharmacologic agents are evaluated for their efficacy and safety in AMD. Ground.breaking advances in bench to bedside research have led to discovery of new pathways that appear to be viable targets for preventing visual loss in AMD. In this review, study designs and results of landmark clinical trials in AMD from the past decade have been summarized.

The Role of Dexamethasone Implant in the Management of Tubercular Uveitis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To study the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant in the management of posterior segment involvement in tubercular uveitis (TBU). Methods: In this study, retrospective analysis of safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant for various indications such as cystoid macular edema (CME), vitritis, or paradoxical worsening in TB-related intermediate uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis (MSC) was performed. Results: The study included 17 patients (19 eyes; 7 males). IOP increased from 14.88 ± 2.68 mm Hg to 16.4 ± 5.82 mm Hg (p = 0.18) at 3 months. BCVA improved from 0.37 ± 0.35 to 0.27 ± 0.21 at 3 months (p = 0.03). CME resolved at 3 months and two patients with paradoxical worsening showed resolution within 1 month. Conclusion: Intravitreal dexamethasone implant is safe and efficacious as an adjunct to ATT in reducing the central macular thickness, vitritis, and progression of choroiditis lesions in paradoxical worsening of MSC.

MTBDRplus for the rapid diagnosis of ocular tuberculosis and screening of drug resistance

PurposeTimely diagnosis of intraocular tuberculosis (IOTB) along with detection of drug resistance can save many eyes from visual impairment. With the growing incidence of IOTB and rising drug resistance, a reliable diagnostic platform for simultaneous detection of the agent and mutated gene is urgently needed. The MTBDRplus assay was evaluated directly on vitreous fluid samples for the same.Patients and methodsIn a prospective study, The MTBDRplus assay was performed on 127 vitreous fluid samples (77 ‘study group’ comprising cases of presumed ocular tuberculosis and 50 ‘control group’ cases of disease controls (n=25) and non-uveitic controls (n=25)). All samples positive by MTBDRplus assay were subjected to gene sequencing to confirm the mutations for rifampicin and isoniazid resistance.ResultsThe MTBDRplus assay produced a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 36.36%, 100%, 100%, and 50.50%, respectively, for the detection of IOTB. Among the 28 cases from study group that were positive by MTBDRplus assay, rifampicin resistance was reported in six and isoniazid resistance in two cases. On sequencing of rpoB and katG gene, one case of false rifampicin-resistant by MTBDRplus was found. The other resistant isolates showed concordant mutations between MTBDRplus assay and sequencing.ConclusionThe MTBDRplus assay is an effective tool for the rapid diagnosis of IOTB along with detection of drug resistance, thereby improving the outcome in IOTB.