Why is it necessary to examine retina when the patient suffers from aplastic anemia?

PURPOSES: To inform about a case of Revesz syndrome (RS) with initial ophthalmological symptomatology of severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy of the left eye (LE). After the aplastic anemia had developed, RS was established. The exudative retinopathy was successfully treated with photocoagulation on the right eye (RE). BACKGROUND: RS is characterized by fatal bone marrow failure, exudative retinopathy, neuroradiographic abnormalities, neurodevelopmental delay and skin abnormalities. Non-treated exudative retinopathy leads to blindness. METHODS: We report ophthalmological findings as follows: fundus photography and fluorescein angiography (FA) acquired by examinations under general anesthesia in patient with RS. Results of genetic tests helped to establish the diagnosis. RESULTS: Two-year old Caucasian male was examined due to total retinal detachment on LE and signs of chorioretinal scarring on RE. In preoperative screening, thrombocytopenia was detected; later, severe pancytopenia developed. Considering the hematological findings and clinical appearance, we suspected RS, which was confirmed by genetic tests. We found a pathogenic mutation in gene TINF2 (variant c. 865C > T;p. Pro289Ser) in a mosaic state with autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. This mutation has not been described in RS yet. Blind LE was enucleated because of dolorous neovascular glaucoma. FA of RE shows excessive areas of capillary nonperfusion with vascular abnormalities and exudation. After the photocoagulation, the visual acuity (VA) on RE remains 0.9 at the age of 7 years. CONCLUSIONS: RS is an extremely rare condition. The initial symptomatology could be ophthalmological or hematological. The positive finding of TINF2 gene mutation helped in establishing the correct diagnosis. The ischemic retinopathy was successfully treated by photocoagulation (Fig. 6, Ref. 6). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.