Late-onset persistent retinal microvascular changes after bone marrow transplantation: 3-year follow-up

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe a case of persistent retinopathy after bone marrow transplantation in the absence of radiation therapy. Methods: Case Report. Results: A 42 year-old man developed bilateral visual loss 15 months after receiving a bone marrow transplantation for acute leukemia. The patient was treated with a high dose of cyclosporin A and oral corticosteroids. No radiation therappy was given. Late-onset, multiple, bilateral cotton-wool spots developed 15 months after the bone marrow transplantation and still persist. After three years other cotton-wool spots arose in the absence of any immunosuppresive therapy. Conclusions: Bone marrow transplantation microvasculopathy of the retina may be related to certain combinations of chemotherapy drugs or immunosuppresion itself and may persist in the absence of these immunosuppressive drugs.