Background: Ibrutinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor commonly used in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Based on the published literature, it has a very sound ophthalmologic safety profile. In the following, we describe a case of anterior chamber fibrinoid syndrome in a patient on ibrutinib for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia after uncomplicated cataract extraction.
Case presentation: A 75-year-old white man with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia on ibrutinib therapy and without significant past ocular history presented 1 day after uncomplicated phacoemulsification with in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation with multiple, discrete, pigmented cords in the anterior chamber. His vision was 20/100 and intraocular pressure was 43 mmHg. There was no hypopyon, hyphema, or cellular reaction. The dilated fundus examination was unremarkable. He was diagnosed as having fibrinoid syndrome and started on topical prednisolone, brimonidine, timolol-dorzolamide, and orally administered acetazolamide. Within 2 weeks, the fibrin cords disappeared completely, vision improved to 20/30, and the intraocular pressure normalized off all medications.
Conclusions: The precise etiology of fibrinoid syndrome remains unclear. This is the first case of fibrinoid syndrome in a patient on ibrutinib, which is known to cross the blood-brain barrier and induce intraocular changes. It is important to differentiate this syndrome from toxic anterior segment syndrome and endophthalmitis, and to initiate appropriate treatment. The fibrin bands tend to be exquisitely sensitive to topical steroids and to resolve within a few weeks without sequelae.
Keywords: Anterior chamber; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Fibrinoid reaction; Fibrinoid syndrome; Ibrutinib; Phacoemulsification.