Concurrent cytomegalovirus iridocyclitis and vitreoretinal lymphoma in the same eye during long-term infliximab therapy: a case report

Abstract Background We report a rare case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) iridocyclitis and vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) that developed sequentially in the same eye during long-term infliximab (IFX) therapy for ulcerative colitis. This case highlights both the risk of opportunistic ocular infections and lymphoproliferative disorders coexisting in the same eye and the diagnostic challenges associated with prolonged immunosuppression. Case presentation A 65-year-old man presented to the ocular inflammatory service at Nippon Medical School Tama-Nagayama Hospital with deteriorating vision in the left eye. His medical history included IFX therapy for 11 years for ulcerative colitis, a 7-year history of bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma, and recurrent iridocyclitis in the left eye. Slit-lamp examination revealed mutton-fat keratic precipitates and dense vitreous opacities. Multiplex PCR of the aqueous humor detected CMV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The cytological grading of the vitreous fluid was class IIIb. Cytokine analysis revealed an interleukin (IL)-10/IL-6 ratio of > 1.0, and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement revealed monoclonality. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with concurrent CMV iridocyclitis and VRL in the same eye. EBV positivity in the aqueous humor may have been associated with VRL development under prolonged immunosuppression. Topical ganciclovir was initiated for CMV iridocyclitis. The patient underwent bilateral ocular radiotherapy (40 Gy) and systemic chemotherapy with rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine after IFX cessation. Although inflammatory and infiltrative lesions resolved, his final visual acuity was 20/200 due to glaucomatous visual field loss. Conclusions The present case highlights both the risk of opportunistic ocular infections and lymphoproliferative disorders associated with prolonged immunosuppression and the diagnostic challenge when both conditions coexist in the same eye. Careful monitoring and close collaboration between ophthalmologists and internists are essential for the early diagnosis and appropriate management of such patients.