Efficacy of oral steroid therapy in the treatment of acute maculopathy in the course of hand, foot and mouth disease – 3 case reports

Abstract

Oral steroid therapy was administered in three patients with skin symptoms, diagnosed with hands, mouth and foot disease (HMFD, commonly known as “Boston’s disease”) and in the course of which there was a rapid deterioration of vision in one eye. Each of the patients had previous contact with a person with disease. Hospitalization of the first patient, during which general antibiotic therapy, antiviral drugs and short-term intravenous steroid therapy were used, brought only a slight improvement in visual acuity. Given the accompanying colour discrimination dysfunction, oral steroid therapy was introduced in this patient, already in the outpatient setting. The therapy brought a significant improvement in visual acuity in a short time and restored the ability to distinguish colours. This form of treatment was used in another two patients with similar, good result.