Rituximab-Associated Retinal Occlusive Vasculopathy: A Case Report and Literature Review

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe a case of retinal occlusive vasculopathy associated with intravitreal administration of rituximab.

Methods

A single case report from a tertiary referral center

Results

The patient described in the following case report developed a diffuse retinal occlusive vasculopathy following intravitreal rituximab for intraocular lymphoma. He required panretinal photocoagulation, avastin, and cyclophotocoagulation to control his intraocular pressure from ocular ischemia resulting in neovascular glaucoma.

Conclusions

This is the first reported case of occlusive retinal vasculopathy subsequent to intravitreal administration of rituximab. Whereas hypersensitivity reactions to intravenous infusion of rituximab have been noted in the literature, no such reports exist in response to intravitreal therapy.

Keywords:

• Ischemia
• lymphoma
• rituximab
• vascular
• vasculopathy

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All authors had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data. This work was supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, NY, to the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Utah. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. The authors would also like to thank the Moran Eye Center imaging staff for the beautiful photographs in this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, NY, provided an unrestricted grant to the to the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Utah. The sponsor had no role in the design of this research.Research to Prevent Blindness [Unrestricted grant to the University of Utah].