The Therapy for Acute Acquired Syphilitic Uveitis

Overview

Purpose:
In retrospective study (analysis) to report the effectiveness of therapyon anatomic and functional outcomes in patients with acute acquired syphiliticuveitis.Design: Retrospective case – control study.Participants:3 patients (4eyes)withsymptomsofocularacute inflammationwhichoccurred in latent stage of syphilis are included in our study. In all patients uveitiswas the first clinical symptom of syphilis.Methods: In all 3 patients the infection of acquired syphilis was diagnosed usingspecific and non-specific tests for treponemal antibody. In 2 eyes we performeddiagnostic and therapeutic pars plana vitrectomy. The management of ocularsyphilis in all patients consisted ofmega units of aqueous penicillin intravenouslyor intramusculary, in 2 patients we used the combination with steroids.Results: In 2 eyes with perioperatively obtained material of vitreous (during parsplana vitrectomy) specific treponemal antibody was detected using specific(TPHA) test. In the third patient infection was verified serologically. The final visual acuity of all 4 eyes is better than or equal to 6/12. The visual acuity of oneexe is 6/6.Conclusion: Uveitis and neuroretinitis may be the first symptom of acquiredsyphilis in latent stage. Early antibiotic treatment significantly improves anatomicalreparation of infection and visual outcomes.

Key words:
pars plana vitrectomy, syphilis, uveitis, neurosyphilis, serum control