Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the clinical characteristics of viral endothelitis after keratoplasty, we evaluated clinical parameters in individuals with anterior chamber inflammation after keratoplasty classified according to the absence or presence of DNA from various viruses in aqueous humor.
Methods :
A total of 29 eyes of 27 subjects with anterior chamber inflammation after keratoplasty was enrolled in the study. The subjects were classified into the herpes simplex virus (HSV) group (7 patients, 8 eyes), cytomegalovirus (CMV) group (6 patients, 6 eyes), varicella zoster virus (VZV) group (2 patients, 2 eyes), and nonviral group (12 patients, 13 eyes). on the basis of the detection of the corresponding viral DNA in aqueous humor. The duration from the time of keratoplasty to the onset of inflammation, intraocular pressure (IOP), and corneal manifestations of inflammation were retrospectively reviewed.
Results :
Sixteen of the 29 eyes developed anterior chamber inflammation within 2 years after keratoplasty. IOP during the active phase of inflammation was significantly increased in the HSV and CMV groups compared with pre-inflammation values. The increased IOP was significantly ameliorated in association with eradication of viral infection in these two groups. Linear-type keratoprecipitates were frequently detected in all groups with the exception of the VZV group. Corneal edema was apparent in the HSV and nonviral groups but not in the CMV and VZV groups.
Conclusions :
Changes in IOP and corneal manifestations may provide a basis for the differentiation of causative pathogens in individuals with anterior chamber inflammation after keratoplasty, and they may thus allow initiation of appropriate treatment before viral DNA is identified.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.