Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Northern Chinese Patients with Peripheral Granuloma Type of Ocular Toxocariasis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To summarize the clinical features and probable factors associated with recurrence within 6 months in northern Chinese ocular toxocariasis (OT) patients.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study (38 OT eyes) was conducted. Clinical features, aqueous inflammatory cytokines, complications, and parameters associated with recurrence after treatment were analyzed.

Results

The initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was related to the anterior inflammation grade at the onset (P = .028). The mean BCVA and anterior inflammation improved significantly (P < .05) after treatment. The OT eyes had higher aqueous humor cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) compared with the normal eyes (P < .001). More severe anterior inflammation grade or longer duration of uveitis were more likely to increase the probability of recurrence (P = .008 and P = .025), TA injection during/after vitreous surgery can reduce the probability of recurrence (P = .031).

Conclusions

The combination therapy of vitreoretinal surgery, steroids, and albendazole therapy may reduce inflammation and recurrence of OT effectively.

Abbreviations: BCVA: best-corrected visual acuity; BFGF: basic fibroblast growth factor; CFT: central foveal thickness; CI: confidence interval; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; ERM: epiretinal membrane; IOP: intraocular pressure; IQR: interquartile range; IL: interleukin; LFM: laser flare meter; MH: macular hole; OCT: optical coherence tomography; OR: odds ratio; OT: ocular toxocariasis; RD: retinal detachment; TA: triamcinolone acetonide; TCLA: Toxocara canis larva crude antigen; TGF: transforming growth factor; VCAM: vascular cell adhesion molecule; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor

KEYWORDS:

• Ocular toxocariasis
• inflammatory cytokines
• vitreous humor
• corticosteroid therapy
• recurrence

Authors’ contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by HW and YT. The first draft of the manuscript was written by HW and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the local ethics committee of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and with the 2013 Helsinki declaration and the guideline of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice and the applicable Chinese laws. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent for publication

Informed consent was obtained from all patients.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the Scientific Research Program of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education (Grant Number: KM202010025020) and Beijing Chaoyang 1351 talent training program (Grant Number: CYXX-2017-21). These fundings will not lead to any conflict of interests regarding the publication.