1. Equine uveitis: Outcome and adverse effects after one or two intravitreal low-dose gentamicin injections.
- Author
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Morén S, Kallberg M, and Strom L
- Subjects
- Animals, Horses, Retrospective Studies, Female, Male, Treatment Outcome, Horse Diseases drug therapy, Uveitis veterinary, Uveitis drug therapy, Intravitreal Injections veterinary, Intravitreal Injections adverse effects, Anti-Bacterial Agents administration & dosage, Anti-Bacterial Agents adverse effects, Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use, Gentamicins administration & dosage, Gentamicins adverse effects, Gentamicins therapeutic use
- Abstract
Background: Uveitis is common in horses, potentially turning chronic (persistent or recurrent) resulting in impaired vision or blindness. All mainstay therapeutics aims at controlling inflammation, but long-term or lifelong treatment is often needed with possibly severe side effects. Therefore, intravitreal injections with low-dose gentamicin (IVGI) have been used in attempt to give a long-lasting result with potentially less side effects., Objectives: To retrospectively assess outcome and long-term complications following one or two low-dose IVGI in Swedish horses with chronic uveitis., Study Design: Retrospective case series., Methods: Medical records of horses diagnosed with uveitis examined at the Equine Clinic of the University Animal Hospital of Sweden between 2016 and 2021 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were horses with a diagnosis of chronic uveitis that were treated with 4 mg IVGI. After injection, tapering doses of anti-inflammatory medications were administered. Due to persistence or recurrence of uveitis despite IVGI, some horses received a second injection. A positive outcome was defined as controlled uveitis, despite no or minimal anti-inflammatory medication., Results: 32 eyes (29 horses) were included. Based on clinical evaluation, uveitis was classified as anterior (91%) or panuveitis (9%). 10 eyes were treated with IVGI twice. A positive outcome was observed in 13/32 eyes (41%). Inflammation in 9/32 eyes was controlled after the first, and in 4/10 eyes after the second IVGI treatment. Long-term complications included retinal degeneration in seven eyes, and mature cataracts in five eyes. Enucleations were performed in 14/32 eyes, due to lack of favourable response of IVGI, or due to complications, that is, glaucoma, corneal ulceration, and/or corneal mineralisation. One horse was euthanised due to painful bouts of inflammation in both eyes despite treatment., Main Limitations: Small sample size, retrospective design with no control group, no histopathology performed, infrequent sampling for Leptospira and no standardised treatment protocol after the IVGI., Conclusions: In this group of Swedish horses, predominantly diagnosed clinically with anterior uveitis, a positive outcome was observed in 41% of eyes following one or two low-dose IVGI. Retinal degeneration in the visual streak was observed in 22% of eyes, which is a higher proportion of this complication than previously described., (© 2024 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)
- Published
- 2025
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