Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like Syndrome and Electronegative Electroretinogram after Nivolumab Therapy for Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like (VKH) syndrome or electronegative electroretinograms (ERG) have both been described before or after immunotherapy for metastatic cutaneous melanoma, but they have not been described occurring together. Objective: The objective of this study is to describe a case of VKH-like syndrome occurring simultaneously with an electronegative ERG after nivolumab therapy for metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Methods: Case report of a patient with ocular findings after nivolumab therapy for metastatic melanoma was reported. Multimodal imaging, including color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and both full-field and multifocal ERGs were used to describe the findings. Literature review was conducted with PubMed. Results: We reported a case of a patient with nivolumab-treated melanoma presenting with presumed VKH-like syndrome with panuveitis, choroidal depigmentation, and cutaneous vitiligo, as well as melanoma-associated retinopathy (MAR)-like electronegative ERG findings. Nivolumab was stopped and corticosteroid therapy was initiated. Although the patient’s visual acuity remained severely limited, her inflammation resolved, and the areas of choroidal depigmentation slowly decreased over years of subsequent follow-up. Conclusion: Vision loss accompanied by simultaneous VKH-like findings with choroidal vitiligo and a MAR-like electronegative ERG may develop after nivolumab therapy. The uveitic and vitiligo may improve with immunosuppressive therapy, but the vision loss and ERG findings may persist.