Biomaterial Database

Recurrent conjunctivitis as a presentation of munchausen syndrome by proxy. 2003

Darrell E Baskin, and Fernando Stein, and David K Coats, and Evelyn A Paysse

Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.

OBJECTIVE To report a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which manifested as recurrent bilateral keratoconjunctivitis in an infant. METHODS Interventional case report. METHODS The patient underwent numerous diagnostic studies, including two endoscopies, skin biopsy, conjunctival pH measurement, and a skeletal survey. She underwent daily eye examinations until the corneal and conjunctival epithelial defects resolved. METHODS Resolution of cutaneous, mucosal, corneal, and conjunctival epithelial defects. RESULTS A punch biopsy of the right postauricular area was performed, and pathology subsequently determined that the findings seemed to be the result of an exogenous injury. The conjunctival pH was 8.0, consistent with exposure to an exogenous, caustic agent. The acute ocular lesions resolved. CONCLUSIONS Munchausen syndrome by proxy can be seen with ophthalmic manifestations and should be considered in the differential diagnosis when ocular abnormalities cannot be explained after a thorough and methodical evaluation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D003231	Conjunctivitis	INFLAMMATION of the CONJUNCTIVA.	Pink Eye,Conjunctivitides,Pink Eyes
D003941	Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological	Methods and procedures for the diagnosis of diseases of the eye or of vision disorders.	Diagnostic Technic, Ophthalmological,Diagnostic Technics, Ophthalmologic,Diagnostic Technics, Ophthalmological,Diagnostic Technique, Ophthalmological,Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmologic,Ophthalmological Diagnostic Technic,Ophthalmological Diagnostic Technics,Ophthalmological Diagnostic Technique,Ophthalmological Diagnostic Techniques,Technic, Ophthalmological Diagnostic,Technics, Ophthalmological Diagnostic,Technique, Ophthalmological Diagnostic,Techniques, Ophthalmological Diagnostic,Diagnostic Technic, Ophthalmologic,Diagnostic Technique, Ophthalmologic,Ophthalmologic Diagnostic Technic,Ophthalmologic Diagnostic Technics,Ophthalmologic Diagnostic Technique,Ophthalmologic Diagnostic Techniques,Technic, Ophthalmologic Diagnostic,Technics, Ophthalmologic Diagnostic,Technique, Ophthalmologic Diagnostic,Techniques, Ophthalmologic Diagnostic
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016735	Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy	A phenomenon in which symptoms of a disease are fabricated by an individual other than the patient causing unnecessary, and often painful, physical examinations and treatments. This syndrome is considered a form of CHILD ABUSE, since another individual, usually a parent, is the source of the fabrication of symptoms and presents the child for medical care.