Diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related ophthalmic disease

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is a novel clinical entity characterized by infiltration of IgG4-immunopositive plasmacytes and elevated serum IgG4 concentration accompanied by enlargement of and masses in various organs, including the lacrimal gland, salivary gland, and pancreas. Recent studies have clarified that conditions previously diagnosed as Mikulicz disease as well as various types of lymphoplasmacytic infiltrative disorders of the ocular adnexa are consistent with a diagnosis of IgG4-related disease. Against this background, the diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related ophthalmic disease have recently been established, based on both the clinical and the histopathologic features of the ocular lesions. This article reviews these new criteria with reference to the comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease for all systemic conditions reported in 2012.