Although current therapies for pretransplant desensitization and treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) have had some success, they do not specifically deplete plasma cells that produce antihuman leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma (a plasma cell neoplasm), induces plasma cell apoptosis. In this paper we review the current body of literature regarding the use of this biological agent in the field of transplantation. Although limited experience with bortezomib may seem to show promise in the realm of transplant recipients desensitization and treatment of AMR, there is also experience that may suggest otherwise. Bortezomib's role in desensitization protocols and treatment of AMR will be defined better as more clinical data and trials become available.

The identification of an infectious or noninfectious uveitis syndrome is important to determine the range of therapeutic and prognostic implications of that disease entity. Diagnostic dilemmas arise with atypical history, atypical clinical presentations, inconclusive diagnostic workup, and persistent or worsened inflammation despite appropriate immunosuppression. More invasive intraocular testing is indicated in these situations particularly in infectious uveitis where a delay in treatment may result in worsening of the patient’s disease and a poor visual outcome. Laboratory analysis of vitreous fluid via diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy is an important technique in the diagnostic armamentarium, but the most important aspects of sample collection include rapid processing, close coordination with an ophthalmic pathology laboratory, and directed testing on this limited collected sample. Culture and staining has utility in bacterial, fungal, and nocardial infection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis has shown promising results for bacterial endophthalmitis and infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis whereas PCR testing for viral retinitides and ocular toxoplasmosis has a more established role. Antibody testing is appropriate for toxoplasmosis and toxocariasis, and may be complementary to PCR for viral retinitis. Masquerade syndromes represent neoplastic conditions that clinically appear as infectious or inflammatory conditions and should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis. Diagnostic vitrectomy and chorioretinal biopsy are thus critical tools for the management of patients in whom an infectious etiology of uveitis is suspected.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) has been associated with the immunosuppressant sirolimus in transplant patients. PAP is a progressive lung disease characterized by the accumulation of surfactant-like material in the lungs leading to decreased pulmonary function with shortness of breath and cough as common symptoms. We report a rare case of sirolimus-associated PAP in a kidney transplant recipient with a history of end-stage renal disease secondary to haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and review of the literature. Discontinuation of sirolimus and initiation of tacrolimus led to resolution of PAP without recurrence of HUS.

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Pediatric Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome (VKH) is rare with limited cases of corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppression use reported. A 15-year-old Hispanic female was referred for bilateral intraocular inflammation. Her initial visual acuity (VA) was 20/30 OD and 20/200 OS with granulomatous keratic precipitates, anterior chamber and vitreous cell, optic disc edema, and nummular depigmented chorioretinal lesions on exam consistent with VKH after an unrevealing workup. Inflammation was recurrent despite oral prednisone and methotrexate. Adalimumab, a TNF-α inhibitor, led to rapid resolution of inflammation, successful dose reduction of prednisone and methotrexate, and final VA of 20/25 OD and 20/40 OS at 26-months follow up.

Purpose: This study examines treatment-based outcomes of endophthalmitis due to antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) intravitreal injection and its effect on subsequent management of neovascular disease. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted of 157 patients with a diagnosis of endophthalmitis following anti-VEGF intravitreal injection at 10 major ophthalmic centers. Results: The median number of injections before endophthalmitis was 10 (range, 1 to 84 injections). Initial treatment with tap and inject with or without subsequent vitrectomy trended toward smaller visual acuity changes from baseline (4 ETDRS [Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study] letter difference vs 19 ETDRS letter difference) compared with initial vitrectomy, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant change in medication choice among injections after endophthalmitis. There was a statistically significant shift away from regular interval (1- to 2-month) injections and a shift toward treat-and-extend and as-needed injection algorithms. Conclusions: The visual outcomes were not significantly different between patients who initially underwent tap and injection of antibiotics and those who underwent vitrectomy. There was no significant change in medication choice before and after endophthalmitis but there was a shift toward lower-frequency injection algorithms after postintravitreal injection endophthalmitis compared with prior.

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Retinal toxicity involving the macula as a complication of the antiretroviral protease inhibitor ritonavir has been described in a few cases. We report retinal pigment epitheliopathy involving the macula with a bull's eye pattern in a 36-year-old man with well-controlled HIV receiving ritonavir with gradually progressive bilateral vision loss.