Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Back to skin conditions

Autoimmune retinopathy medical therapy

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Currently no standard treatment protocol exists for autoimmune retinopathy (AIR). However, various treatment options have been described in the literature, and they include, systemic and/or topical (intravitreal/sub-tenon/depot) corticosteroids, Immunomodulators like cyclosporine (calcineurin inhibitor which prevents IL-2 transcription), infliximab (anti-TNFα antibody), mycophenolate mofetil (IMP dehydrogenase inhibitor, preventing purine synthesis), azathioprine (purine antimetabolite), biological agents, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and plasmapheresis, and Antioxidants.

Medical Therapy

Medical Therapy

Currently no standard treatment protocol exists for autoimmune retinopathy (AIR). However, various treatment options have been described in the literature, and they are as follows:

Systemic and/or topical corticosteroids

Immunosuppression through systemic and/or topical (intravitreal/sub-tenon/depot) corticosteroids.  For all cases of AIR initiate steroids (local or systemic) and/or with antimetabolites/T-cell inhibitors, as the first or second-line treatment respectively, after systemic management of the underlying autoimmune disease.

Initiate a short-term treatment trial with intravitreal or sub-tenon triamcinolone (40-80 mg, two injections over a span of 8 months), before starting systemic steroids (60-80 mg oral prednisone daily); this aids in both confirmation of the diagnosis as well as avoidance of adverse effects of the treatment.

Immunomodulators

Immunomodulators like cyclosporine (calcineurin inhibitor which prevents IL-2 transcription), infliximab (anti-TNFα antibody), mycophenolate mofetil (IMP dehydrogenase inhibitor, preventing purine synthesis), azathioprine (purine antimetabolite).

Biological agents

Biological agents such as monoclonal antibodies like rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody), alemtuzumab (anti-CD52 antibody), ipilimumab (antagonist antibody against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4), tocilizumab (anti-IL-6 receptor antibody), sarilumab (anti-IL-6 receptor antibody)

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and Plasmapheresis

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis are effective if given before the onset of irreversible neuronal degeneration.

IVIG has several mechanisms of action like, neutralization of autoantibodies, binding of complement components, inhibition of dendritic cells maturation, modulation of intercellular adhesion, and contribution of IgG4.

Antioxidants

Antioxidant vitamins like lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and beta carotene (in non-smokers) also play a role in stabilizing retinal degeneration and disease course.


To monitor the response to management, follow-up testing with ERG, visual field testing, visual acuity, OCT, and colour vision testing may be conducted every 3 to 6 months. [1]

References

References

  1. ↑ Dutta Majumder P, Marchese A, Pichi F, Garg I, Agarwal A (2020). “An update on autoimmune retinopathy”. Indian J Ophthalmol. 68 (9): 1829–1837. doi:10.4103/ijo.IJO_786_20. PMC 7690499 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 32823399 Check |pmid= value (help).

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: M. Hassan, M.B.B.S