Ocular manifestations in Korean patients with transbronchial lung biopsy‐proven sarcoidosis

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To evaluate the characteristic ocular signs and systemic examination findings in patients with transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB)‐proven sarcoidosis.Methods A total of 28 patients with TBLB‐proven sarcoidosis were evaluated between January 2011 and December 2012. The medical records of patients were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the following five characteristic ocular signs that are suggestive for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis: (1) mutton‐fat keratic precipitates and iris nodules; (2) nodules at the trabecular meshwork and tent‐shaped peripheral anterior synechia; (3) snowball or string‐of‐pearls vitreous opacities; (4) nodular periphlebitis; (5) multiple chorioretinal lesions. The results of systemic examination, including serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) assay, chest radiography or computed tomography of the chest, pulmonary function tests (PFT), tuberculin skin test and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), were considered for each patient.Results Eighteen patients (64.2%) showed ocular signs, which are suggestive of ocular sarcoidosis. Thirteen (72.2%) of these 18 patients presented with ocular signs as the initial manifestation of the disease. The typical findings of chest CT, such as bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL), were observed in all of the 28 patients.Conclusion It can be suggested that intraocular lesions could be the sole clinical manifestation of the disease. Therefore, it is important to perform pulmonary examination including chest CT in patients with suspicious ocular sarcoidosis.