SEVERE RECURRENCE AND RETINAL INFLAMMATORY INFILTRATION AFTER CESSATION OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSION FOR MULTIFOCAL CHOROIDITIS AND PANUVEITIS

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to describe a severe recurrence of intraocular inflammation, following the cessation of immunosuppression, previously administered for multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review. RESULTS: A 27-year-old woman with multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis initially was treated with IV and oral corticosteroids and photodynamic therapy because of an active macular neovascularization in both eyes. Mycophenolate was soon started, and the recurrences during tapering of the oral corticosteroids in the first months were treated with periocular corticosteroids and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections as they became available. After a decade of immunosuppression without recurrences, the patient, having relocated, discontinued mycophenolate upon the advice of a new ophthalmologist who diagnosed her with punctate inner choroidopathy. This led to a severe recurrence in both eyes, characterized by new inflammatory lesions, ellipsoid zone loss, and widespread inflammatory cell infiltration into the outer retina. Intravitreal triamcinolone injections resulted in the resolution of subretinal and intraretinal inflammatory lesions and ellipsoid zone defects. CONCLUSION: The abrupt discontinuation of immunosuppression in a patient with multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis was associated with a rebound phenomenon, characterized by multilevel inflammatory activity in the posterior pole. This rebound phenomenon may offer clues as to the inflammatory targets in multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis.