Central Retinal Vein Occlusion Following Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment in a Patient with Pemphigus Vulgaris

Abstract

A 68-year-old male has been treated with prednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapies with the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris. When he applied to receive the fifth session of IVIG therapy, he complained about visual loss. On the ophthalmologic examination, left central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) was determined. There was no other detected underlying cause for CRVO and it was thought that central retinal vein thrombosis might be due to IVIG therapy. IVIG treatment is generally accepted reliable for pemphigus vulgaris. However, it can rarely cause serious side effects like thrombosis. In literature, there are a few cases of central retinal vein occlusion due to IVIG therapy and none of these have dermatological disease as their etiology.