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Ocular complications of the Fernand-Widal triad and its therapy
Xavier D Martin1, Bertrand Duvoisin
1Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. xmartin@worlcom.ch
Background:
The Fernand-Widal triad (FWT) is the association of non-allergic intrinsic asthma, nasal polyposis and sensitivity to Aspirin. The aim of this paper is to describe the possibility of ocular complications, which we found in 3 cases: in 1 case due to the FWT itself and in the other 2 as a result of corticosteroid treatment.
Methods:
Three cases of the FWT with ocular complications were studied, and the pertinent literature was reviewed.
Results:
No previous description of ocular involvement in individuals with FWT was found in the literature. In the first case, episodes of orbital cellulitis due to superinfected nasal polyposis were found as a complication produced by the disease. In the other 2 cases, corticosteroid treatment created complications: ocular hypertension in both cases and bilateral subcapsular cataracts in 1 case.
Conclusions:
Although not rare, the diagnosis of the FWT is often missed. This perhaps explains why no report of ocular complications has yet been published in the literature. Because of the serious clinical consequences, physicians involved in the treatment of these patients should be aware of this diagnosis.