Diagnostic challenges of posterior scleritis in pembrolizumab treated patient for cutaneous melanoma: A case report

Purpose

To describe various clinical pictures of posterior scleritis following pembrolizumab therapy for metastatic cutaneous melanoma.

Methods

Description of the clinical case with data from patient presentation and recurrences, diagnostic examinations, treatment, and six-months follow up. Clinical presentation of previous reports of pembrolizumab related of eye inflammation are discussed.

Results

A 49-year-old patient underwent resection of metastatic melanoma of the skin with sentinel lymph nodes removal and pembrolizumab adjuvant therapy every three weeks. Nine months after pembrolizumab initiation the patient accessed ophthalmology emergency service complaining one week vision loss on her right eye associated with pain on eye movement. Ocular examination revealed right eye papillitis and posterior scleritis. Intravenous corticosteroid treatment was started associated with topical prednisolone drops, after which complete resolution of the subretinal fluid was seen. During the six months follow up one episode of posterior scleritis was observed in the contralateral eye and resolved after peribulbar corticosteroid injection and oral therapy and one recurrence of intermediate scleritis in the right eye which resolved after oral therapy.

Conclusion

Posterior and intermediate scleritis may be added to the spectrum of pembrolizumab related eye inflammation; in the case presented posterior scleritis occurred asymmetrically in both eyes suggesting chronic features, importance of steroid tapering and follow up.