Methotrexate as an Alternative Treatment for Orbital Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia

Abstract

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is an uncommon, benign disorder that presents as solitary or multiple nodules in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. Orbital ALHE has been reported on occasion. We report a case of orbital ALHE which was refractory to systemic steroids but effectively treated with low-dose subcutaneous methotrexate. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of methotrexate as a successful treatment for refractory ALHE.

KEYWORDS::

• Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia
• Epithelioid hemangioma
• Methotrexate

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper was presented as a poster at the 25th ESOPRS meeting in Slovenia, September 2007. We thank Dr. Samuel Reynolds, MD for preparing the pathologic microphotographs.

Declaration of interest: None of the authors or authors’ family members have any financial interest related to this manuscript. This project was funded in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, NY.