Ocular involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: A single-center cohort study on 63 patients.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the ocular manifestations of patients with GPA, their treatment and outcome.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study performed at the National Referral Center for Vasculitis, Cochin Hospital, Paris (France), from January 2005 to December 2015. Among 308 patients with a new diagnosis of GPA in accordance with the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria and/or revised Chapel Hill nomenclature definitions, we identified those with ocular involvement and a subsequent follow up in our center.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ocular involvement in our GPA series was 38.6%; 63 patients were analysed with a median follow-up of 50.5 months (IQR: 17.8-82.8). Scleritis (18 patients, 28.6%) and episcleritis (18 patients, 28.6%) were the most common ophthalmologic manifestations, followed by orbital disease (13 patients, 20.6%). Bilateral involvement and visual acuity loss was seen in 29.1% and 16.7% of patients, respectively. Ocular involvement was the first GPA manifestation in 9 patients (14.3%), concomitant with systemic manifestation in 36 (57.1%), and occurred only during follow-up in 18 (28.6%). The indication for GPA treatment was suggested by ocular involvement in 12 patients (19.0%), by systemic features in 40 (63.5%) and by both ocular and systemic involvement in 11 (17.5%). Remission of ocular involvement was achieved in 51 patients (80.9%). In the remaining 12 (19.1%), symptoms persisted or even worsened, finally leading to rituximab (RTX) therapy in 8 of them (66.7%). Altogether, when used as first line or for refractory disease, ocular remission was achieved in 11 of the 12 cases (91.7%) treated with RTX versus 34 of the 47 cases (72.3%) treated with CYC (P = .260). Eye disease relapsed in 14 patients (22.2%). RTX allowed achievement of remission in 8 of them (57.1%). In the remaining six, other immunosuppressive drugs were used.

CONCLUSIONS

Scleritis and episcleritis are the most common ocular manifestations in GPA, most of the time associated with other systemic manifestations. In >40% of cases, ocular manifestations were refractory to initial treatment or recurrent and led to RTX prescription, which appeared to be useful in these situations.