Ophthalmic Manifestations of the Carcinoid Flush

Abstract

WE recently recognized distinctive ophthalmic consequences of the carcinoid syndrome that have not been reported. Patients with malignant carcinoid were studied during their hospital courses at the National Institutes of Health. Their ocular changes form the basis of this report.Material and MethodsThe subjects were 16 patients from thirty-three to sixty-nine years old. The diagnosis of carcinoid tumor was established histologically by biopsy, pharmacologically by flushes induced with epinephrine^{1 2 3} and chemically by the demonstration of abnormally large concentrations of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) in platelets and of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the urine.Epinephrine hydrochloride (2 to 10 μg.) was diluted . . .