Rifabutin-associated panuveitis with retinal vasculitis in pulmonary tuberculosis.
BACKGROUND
Rifabutin-associated uveitis has been reported frequently in AIDS patients and more rarely in immunocompetent patients. It is characterized clinically by anterior acute uveitis. Only a few poorly documented cases of rifabutin-induced panuveitis with retinal vasculitis have been reported. Here, we report four cases of rifabutin-associated panuveitis with retinal vasculitis.


METHODS
We describe four patients with active tuberculosis, treated with a multidrug regimen including rifabutin for at least 1.5 months before presentation. The first patient was immunocompetent, the three others had AIDS and were undergoing triple anti-HIV therapy. Three patients were women with a low body weight. All four patients presented with panuveitis and retinal vasculitis. Interruption of the drug rapidly reduced the ocular inflammation in all cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Four cases of rifabutin-associated panuveitis with retinal vasculitis are reported in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Immunogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as the very low weight of the patients might be implicated in the development of this unusual form of rifabutin-associated uveitis.
Skolik
Stephanie
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA.
Willermain
François
F
Caspers
Laure E
LE
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015864:Panuveitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D017828:Rifabutin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D017828:Rifabutin; D011239:Prednisolone