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Retinal cotton wool spot associated with cladribine therapy for multiple sclerosis
Ravali Gummi1, Ryan D Walsh2, Baseer Ahmad3
1Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|December 15, 2020
Summary
Cladribine effectively treats relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) but can cause side effects. This report details a rare ocular complication, a retinal cotton wool spot, observed after initiating cladribine therapy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Cladribine is an effective disease-modifying therapy for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Common adverse effects include lymphopenia, neutropenia, and infections.
- Ocular complications associated with cladribine have not been previously documented.
Observation:
- A patient initiating cladribine therapy for MS developed new-onset visual symptoms.
- A large retinal cotton wool spot was identified during ophthalmic examination.
Findings:
- The ocular complication occurred in temporal association with the initiation of cladribine treatment.
- This represents a potential, previously undescribed adverse effect of cladribine therapy.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering ocular side effects in patients treated with cladribine.
- Suggests the need for further investigation into cladribine-associated ocular toxicity.
- Informs clinical monitoring protocols for patients with multiple sclerosis receiving cladribine.
