BLIND-SIDED BY BLACK FUNGUS: CRAO IN CAM

Abstract

Importance: There has been an outbreak of COVID-19 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAM) in many parts of developing world. The clinical prole, mortality rate, risk factors associated with it has been studied. A case series highlighting association of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) in CAM has not been reported yet. To report a case series of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) in 15 pati Objective: ents with history of COVID19 infection associated mucormycosis (CAM). This is a retrospective observational study of Design: 15 cases of rhino-cerebroorbital mucormycosis (ROCM) which presented to our tertiary referral centre between March 2021 and June 2021. All patients had unilateral or bilateral CRAO. Tertiary care multispecialty hospital in western India. Setting: Participants: All patients diagnosed with CAM and having unilateral or bilateral CRAO. Main outcome measure: The COVID-19 disease induced inammatory homeostasis changes that predispose to thrombotic disease in both venous and arterial circulation in CAM. Overall prognosis appears to be poor with mortality rate of 14- 50% in various studies. Fifteen patients were studied of Results: which 13 were male and rest females. The mean age of patients was 55.6 + 12.13 years (Range: 39 –78 years). Majority had uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Tissue and radiological diagnosis of mucormycosis was made in all patients. Twelve patients had unilateral CRAO and 3 patients had bilateral CRAO. Diabetes and systemic ster Conclusions and relevance: oids have proven to be risk factors for development of CRAO in CAM. Early ophthalmic screening should be initiated in COVID-19 patients with systemic co-morbidities, to reduce the immediate and late sequelae.