Clinical manifestations and visual outcomes associated with ocular toxoplasmosis in a Brazilian population

Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 4;11(1):3137. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82830-z.

Abstract

Ocular toxoplasmosis is the leading cause of posterior uveitis worldwide. We conducted an observational study of 262 consecutive individuals (n = 344 eyes) with ocular toxoplasmosis who were followed over a 34-month period. Most subjects were T. gondii IgG + /IgM- (n = 242; 92.4%; 317 eyes), and 140 eyes (40.7%) had active lesions. For eyes in which retinal lesions were active at recruitment and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) could be measured (n = 133), 21.0% (n = 28) remained blind (BCVA below 20/400) after inflammation resolved. In these eyes, atypical ocular toxoplasmosis (OR 4.99; 95% CI 1.14-22.85; p = 0.0330), macular lesion (OR 9.95; 95% CI 2.45-47.15; p = 0.0019) and any complication (OR 10.26; 95% CI 3.82-30.67; p < 0.0001) were associated with BCVA below 20/200. For eyes with only inactive lesions at recruitment and BCVA measured (n = 178), 28.1% (n = 50) were blind. In these eyes, having at least one lesion larger than one disc-diameter (OR 6.30; 95% CI 2.28-22.46; p = 0.0013) and macular lesion (OR 5.69; 95% CI 2.53-13.54; p < 0.0001) were associated with BCVA below 20/200. Older age (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00-1.05; p = 0.0493) and active disease at presentation (OR 4.74; 95% CI 1.95-12.91; p = 0.0011) were associated with recurrences. Additional clinical attention should be directed towards patients with risk factors for poor visual outcome.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blindness / drug therapy
  • Blindness / immunology
  • Blindness / parasitology
  • Blindness / pathology*
  • Brazil
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrimethamine / therapeutic use
  • Recurrence
  • Retina / drug effects
  • Retina / immunology
  • Retina / parasitology
  • Retina / pathology
  • Risk Factors
  • Sulfadiazine / therapeutic use
  • Toxoplasma / drug effects
  • Toxoplasma / growth & development
  • Toxoplasma / pathogenicity*
  • Toxoplasmosis / drug therapy
  • Toxoplasmosis / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis / parasitology
  • Toxoplasmosis / pathology*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use
  • Uveitis, Posterior / drug therapy
  • Uveitis, Posterior / immunology
  • Uveitis, Posterior / parasitology
  • Uveitis, Posterior / pathology*
  • Vision, Ocular / drug effects
  • Visual Acuity / drug effects

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Sulfadiazine
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
  • Pyrimethamine