Cryoglobulin-Associated Retinal Vasculitis: Retrospective Case Series.

Purpose: To highlight clinical and imaging features of 5 patients diagnosed with retinal vasculitis and cryoglobulins.

Methods

This retrospective case series describes clinical and angiographic features of retinal vasculitis and serum cryoglobulins and is the most extensive series to our knowledge.

Results

Five female patients were diagnosed with retinal vasculitis and serum cryoglobulins. The average age at time of cryoglobulin identification was 46 years (range, 28-72 years), although retinal vasculitis had been present for various durations. Fluorescein angiograms demonstrated large-vessel and small-vessel segmental leakage in 3 patients, only large-vessel segmental leakage in 1 patient, and only small-vessel segmental leakage in 1 patient. Treatment included topical steroids, intraocular steroid injections, oral corticosteroids, oral antimetabolites, and biologic therapy. At the time of this report, 4 of 5 patients had persistent angiographic leakage; however, none had retinal vascular occlusions.

Conclusions

Various treatments were efficacious, although resolution was difficult. No patient experienced retinal vascular occlusions or other types of end-organ compromise.