Intravitreal bevacizumab for severe vaso-occlusive retinopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Severe vaso-occlusive retinopathy is a relatively rare form of retinopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report two patients with severe vaso-occlusive retinopathy in SLE who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB). (Patient 1) A 35-year-old woman presented with left visual loss and was diagnosed with SLE after systemic evaluation. Despite systemic immunosuppressive therapy, retinal vascular obstruction progressed and neovascularization of the disk (NVD) developed. The patient was treated with IVB and pan retinal photocoagulation. The progression of vascular obstruction ceased and regressed. (Patient 2) A 24-year-old man with SLE presented with left visual loss. There was retinal vascular obstruction with macular edema in both eyes, and then the patient was treated with IVB. One month after injection, minimal capillary nonperfusion increased to 10 disk area, and 5 months later, neovascularization elsewhere (NVE) developed in the right eye. Six months after injection, vitreous hemorrhage with florid NVE and NVD developed in the left eye. In selected severe vaso-occlusive retinopathy in SLE patients, IVB may be an adjuvant option for treatment.