Orbital inflammation secondary to bisphosphonate therapy
January 4, 2010
Chief Complaint: Right eyelid swelling, pain, decreased vision, diplopia
History of Present Illness: 80-year-old female presented to our emergency room with a three-day history of worsening right eyelid swelling, eye pain especially with movement, inability to open her right eye, thick crusty mattering and blurry vision. She also experienced diplopia in all gazes.
Of note, she states that her symptoms started after her first dose of IV Reclast® (zoledronate) for her recent diagnosis of osteoporosis.
Past Ocular History:
- Presbyopia
- Cataract Surgery
Medical History:
- Hypothyroidism
- Joint pain
- Progressive temporomandibular joint pain
- Atrial fibrillation
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Dysphagia
- Cervical spine instability after bone grafting, fusion and plate placement
- Tonsillectomy
- Carpel tunnel surgery, right
Medications:
- Amiodarone
- Benadryl
- Vicodin
- Ferrous sulfate
- Synthroid
Allergies:
- Codeine Agitation
- Perflutren Lipid Microspheres - Urticaria
Family History: Macular Degeneration - Mother
Social History: Non-contributory
Review of Systems: 12 point Review of systems Chills, no fever, no trauma. Otherwise, all negative aside from symptoms and signs mentioned in History of Present Illness
Ocular Exam:
- Visual Acuity:
- OD 20/40 +2, PHNI
- OS 20/25, PH 20/20
- PUPILS: 4mm → 2mm, brisk, equal, no RAPD OU
- IOP applanation: OD - 23, OS - 14
- CONFRONTATIONAL VISUAL FIELD: Full OU
- MOTILITY (see Video):
- OD
- -3 Limitation of adduction
- -2 Limitation of supraduction
- -1 Limitation of all other fields of gaze
- OS - Normal
- OD
- (Notes diplopia in all fields of gaze)
- Hertels: OD 17mm, OS 13mm, base 97mm
EXTERNAL/SLIT LAMP EXAM:
- Lids/Lashes:
- OD - Closed but able to open minimally on command (see figures 1 and 2), periorbital edema/erythema, mild crusting on lashes, globe tender to palpation. CN V1-3 and VII intact
- OS Normal
- Conjunctiva/Sclera: OD 4+ Chemosis; OS Normal
- Cornea: Normal OU
- AC: Formed, no cell/flare OU
- Lens: PCIOL s/p YAG OD, nuclear sclerosis OS
- Vitreous: No cell OU
DILATED FUNDUS EXAM:
- Disc: Normal OU
- C/D Ratio: OD 0.3, OS 0.4
- Macula: Few drusen OU
- Periphery: Few drusen OD, normal OS
Pertinent Laboratory Values:
- CBC: Within normal limits including the WBC of 6.6
- BMP: within normal limits.
- ESR: 25
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HOSPITAL COURSE:
The patient was admitted to the hospital and treated with systemic IV steroids for presumed orbital inflammation. She did not have other signs in her physical exam or her laboratory work up to suggest a systemic illness.
After 2 doses of Solu-Medrol® (methylprednosolone sodium succinate) 500mg IV, the patient's symptoms and signs improved significantly. She was discharged home the next day on a tapering dose of oral prednisone. Inflammation resolved completely after one week. There has been no recurrence of inflammation.
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Discussion:
Orbital inflammation is generally categorized as infectious or non-infectious. Infectious etiologies include bacteria and fungi, most often related to sinus disease. Non-infectious etiologies are abundant, but often grouped under the heading of orbital pseudotumor or idiopathic orbital inflammation until a specific etiology is elucidated.
Orbital and ocular inflammation after bisphosphonate treatment has been adequately reported in the literature. Bisphosphonates are used in the treatment of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, metastatic bone disease, and are used as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. They are synthetic analogues of a regulator of bone metabolism called pyrophosphates and stimulate the release of osteoclastic inhibitory factors from osteoblasts, inhibit the osteoclastic precursor differentiation, and induce apoptosis of osteoclasts. Newer nitrogen-based IV bisphosphonates such as pamidronate and zoledronate are the most widely used and potent.
This patient was treated with zoledronate, which is the most potent bisphosphonate; however, to date, the majority of reports in the literature are based on adverse reactions from pamidronate.
Symptoms occur usually within 6-48 hours after the infusion. It is most common with the first or second infusion. Rapid resolution of the inflammation is expected after discontinuation of the offending medication and systemic corticosteroid treatment.
Of note, certain bisphosphonates share several homologs with T cell ligands which activate antigentic receptor T cells and release cytokines. This interaction explains why certain patients may present with an acute systemic inflammatory reaction including low grade fever, myalgia, arthralgia, nausea and vomiting along with ocular complications.
The patient's rheumatologist and primary care physician should be notified of this adverse effect. If the patient needs to be treated subsequently with a bisphosphonate, close monitoring should be performed to address any possible repeat inflammation. However, in general, subsequent use of bisphosphonates after this adverse reaction is discouraged.
Diagnosis: Orbital inflammation related to bisphosphonate treatment.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
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SIGNS
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SYMPTOMS
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TREATMENT
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Differential Diagnoses:
- Infectious orbital inflammation
- Orbital cellulitis
- Dacryocystitis
- Endophthalmitis
- Dacryoadenitis
- Non-infectious orbital inflammation
- Myositis
- Dacryoadenitis
- Sarcoidosis
- Wegener's Granulomatosis
- Churg-Strauss
- Thyroid eye disease
- Malignancies
- Idiopathic orbital inflammation
References
- Fraunfelder FW, et al. Scleritis and other ocular side effects associated with pamidronate disodium. Am J Ophthalmol 2003; 135: 219-222
- Macarol V, et al. Pamidronate disodium and possible ocular adverse drug reactions. Am J Ophthalmol 1994; 118: 220-224
- Ryan PJ, et al. Idiopathic orbital inflammation following intravenous pamidronate. Rheumatology 2001; 40: 95-957
- Subramanian PS, et al. Orbital inflammatory disease after pamidronate treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. Arch Ophthalmol 2003; 121: 1335-1336
- Tanvetyanon T, et al. Management of the adverse effects associated with intravenous bisphosphonates. Annals of Oncology 2006; 17: 897-907.
Suggested citation format:
Hong ES, Birkholz ES, Wendel L, Allen RC. Orbital inflammation secondary to bisphosphonate therapy (orbital pseudotumor). EyeRounds.org. January 4, 2010; Available from: http://www.EyeRounds.org/cases/101-orbitalpseudotumor.htm.
