PROLONGED UHTHOFF PHENOMENON IN SARCOIDOSIS

PURPOSE: To report. a patient: with sarcoidosis of the anterior visual pathways in whom one of the primary symptoms was visual loss lasting 24 hours after exposure to heat. METHODS: Case report: and review of t he literature. RESULTS: The transient: visual loss was exquisitely sen sitive to intravenous corticosteroids and lasted longer than the typic al Uhthoff phenomenon, Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme level was i ncreased, chest xray showed hilar adenopathy, gallium scan disclosed b ilateral intense tracer uptake in the hila, and transbronchial lung bi opsy showed noncaseating granulomas with negative stains for fungi and mycobacteria, consistent with sarcoidosis. CONCLUSIONS: Uhthoff pheno menon, typically associated with demyelinating optic neuritis, may occ ur in an atypical form in patients with sarcoidosis of the optic nerve .