Accelerated hydroxychloroquine toxic retinopathy

Purpose To report a case series of patients with retinal toxicity due to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) within a short span of treatment. Methods A retrospective review of case records of patients with accelerated HCQ toxicity within 1 year of starting the treatment was done. Systemic co-morbidities, details of HCQ treatment, details of ocular examination, and results of multimodal investigations were noted. Results Nine patients (1 male, 8 females) with age ranging from 40 to 73 years (mean 54.2 +/- 13.4 years) who showed accelerated HCQ toxicity were included. None had systemic conditions or drug history predisposing to early HCQ toxicity. The treatment duration ranged from 2 to 11 months and the cumulative HCQ dose ranged from 18 to 120 g (mean 45.0 +/- 33.0 g). The visual acuity was normal in 8 (88.9%) patients and retinal evaluation was normal in 4 (44.4%). Optical coherence tomography was abnormal in 4 (44.4%). Six (66.6%) cases had reduced sensitivity in the parafoveal point on visual field testing. All 9 cases had multifocal electroretinographic changes diagnostic of HCQ toxicity. The HCQ treatment was stopped in 8 and continued with reduced dose in 1 patient. The mean duration of follow-up was 11.2 +/- 9.6 months during which 5 patients showed improved mfERG and 1 patient had a stable mfERG. Visual fields improvement was noted in 2 cases. Conclusions Patients on HCQ need to be kept on regular monitoring with more frequent follow-ups to detect signs of early onset toxicity and prevent permanent visual impairment. mfERG is an important diagnostic tool for HCQ toxicity.

Automated summary

This study reports a case series of patients who experienced retinal toxicity due to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). The findings highlight the importance of regular monitoring and more frequent follow-ups for patients on HCQ treatment, in order to detect early signs of toxicity and prevent permanent visual impairment.