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Abstract

Purpose:

This report discusses a case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in a patient taking tocilizumab for maintenance and remission of giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods:

A case report is presented.

Results:

A 78-year-old African American woman with no significant past medical history and an ocular history of primary open-angle glaucoma presented to the retina clinic with vitritis in the right eye. Four months earlier, she had been diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA and prescribed 30 mg of prednisone daily and 162 mg tocilizumab subcutaneously weekly. Diagnostic vitrectomy with polymerase chain reaction of the vitreous was positive for CMV. Her retinitis gradually resolved after 3 months of treatment with valganciclovir, with no recurrence 4 months after discontinuing the valganciclovir.

Conclusions:

Physicians should be aware of the potential to develop CMV retinitis in the setting of tocilizumab use for GCA treatment.

Keywords

cytomegalovirus retinitis infectious retinitis inflammatory and infectious diseases vitritis

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