title: Retinopathy during interferon-β treatment for multiple sclerosis: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: The onset of new visual symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis is often associated with a neuro-ophthalmologic manifestation of the disease. However, other possible differential diagnoses need to be ruled out, including drug-induced retinal side effects. Although uncommon, retinal side effects of interferon-beta formulations may occur, and need to be promptly recognized and treated by neurologists. In this manuscript, we report the case of a 37-year-old woman affected by multiple sclerosis diagnosed with interferon beta-associated retinopathy and we review the literature with regard to the epidemiology, clinical presentation, management and follow-up of interferon beta-associated retinopathy. Interferon-beta induced retinopathy seems to be an uncommon and a dose-related side effect in multiple sclerosis patients. Retinopathy tends to completely resolve after treatment discontinuation. Neurologists must be aware that immune-modulatory drugs, in particular interferon beta, have been reported to cause retinal side effects. In multiple sclerosis patients complaining of new visual symptoms during interferon-beta treatment, it is thus advisable to perform an ophthalmological assessment to rule out and properly manage retinopathy.
authors: Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Gaetani
authors: Clinica Oculistica, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Paola S
authors: PS
authors: Menduno
authors: Clinica Oculistica, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Cometa
authors: Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Di Gregorio
authors: Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, 06132, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Sarchielli
authors: Clinica Oculistica, Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Cagini
authors: Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, 06132, Perugia, Italy.|IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Calabresi
authors: Clinica Neurologica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale S. Maria della Misericordia, 06132, Perugia, Italy. massimiliano.difilippo@unipg.it.
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: Di Filippo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Cotton wool spots; Interferon beta; Multiple sclerosis (MS); Retinal hemorrhages; Retinopathy