Chronic Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Hampton Roy Sr, MD; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jun 21, 2011
 

History

CPEO tends to begin in young adulthood. Ptosis usually is the first clinical sign, and ophthalmoplegia may not become apparent for months to years. The ptosis is usually bilateral and symmetrical. As the ptosis progresses, the patient may use the frontalis muscle to elevate the eyelids, adopt a chin-up head position, and eventually resort to manual elevation of the eyelids, as ptosis often becomes complete.[5] Cases have been documented of patients who develop ophthalmoplegia but not ptosis. Unilateral or asymmetric ptosis may develop.

Because of the symmetric nature of this disorder, patients often do not complain of diplopia. They may be unaware of their decreased motility until it becomes severe. In many cases, downward gaze is preserved to a greater extent than up-gaze or horizontal movement. The course of CPEO is characterized by constant progression without periods of remission or exacerbation. Patients also may complain of dryness of the eyes due to exposure keratopathy.

In contrast to myasthenia gravis, patients with CPEO usually report little to no variability in their ptosis.

In KSS, children are usually healthy at birth. Boys and girls are affected equally. CPEO and pigmentary retinopathy appear before age 20 years. The retinal pigment undergoes atrophy, usually in a salt-and-pepper pattern without the bony spicule formation typical of retinitis pigmentosa. Ophthalmoplegia generally precedes the development of cardiac conduction disturbances. Sudden death may occur from these disturbances, and patients should have regular cardiac exams, regardless of age. Patients also may have the following: intraventricular septal hypertrophy, mitral valve prolapse, and left ventricular dysfunction.

Weakness of somatic muscles is often noted with progressive facial muscle weakness and neck and shoulder weakness. Extremities tend to be involved to a lesser degree.

Neurologic abnormalities may include the following:

  • Cerebellar ataxia
  • Pendular nystagmus
  • Vestibular dysfunction and/or hearing loss

Endocrine dysfunction is common and may include the following:

  • Short stature
  • Hypoparathyroidism
  • Diabetes
  • Gonadal dysfunction
  • Hyperaldosteronism
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Physical

A complete ophthalmologic exam should be performed, to include the following:

  • Dilated retinal exam
  • Cranial nerve testing
  • Forced duction testing

In KSS, the salt-and-pepper retinopathy usually occurs initially in the posterior fundus. Pallor of the optic disc, attenuation of retinal vessels, visual field defects, and posterior cataract formation common to retinitis pigmentosa rarely, if ever, occur.

CPEO must be differentiated from myasthenia gravis, Graves disease, and oculopharyngeal dystrophy. The table presented below may also be helpful for categorizing physical findings.

Note the image below.

This table outlines the differential diagnoses of This table outlines the differential diagnoses of chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia.
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Causes

The mitochondrial myopathies and encephalopathies are a complex group of disorders arising from mtDNA mutations. Little correlation exists between the size and the location of the deletion and the clinical phenotype (ie, CPEO vs KSS). Mutations usually occur sporadically, but they also can be inherited as a point mutation of maternal mitochondrial tRNA or as autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive deletions of mtDNA.

The authors have sequenced the entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from a 54-year-old man with chronic progressive ophthalmoplegia and hyperCKemia.[6]

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Edsel Ing, MD, FRCSC  Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Toronto East General Hospital, Canada

Edsel Ing, MD, FRCSC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD  Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Brian R Younge, MD  Professor of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine

Brian R Younge, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Ophthalmological Society, and North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lance L Brown, OD, MD  Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Tracey A Schmucker, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

  1. Bresolin N, Bet L, Binda A, et al. Clinical and biochemical correlations in mitochondrial myopathies treated with coenzyme Q10. Neurology. Jun 1988;38(6):892-9. [Medline].

  2. Ogasahara S, Nishikawa Y, Yorifuji S, et al. Treatment of Kearns-Sayre syndrome with coenzyme Q10. Neurology. Jan 1986;36(1):45-53. [Medline].

  3. Carlow TJ, Depper MH, Orrison WW Jr. MR of extraocular muscles in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Jan 1998;19(1):95-9. [Medline].

  4. Kiyomoto BH, Tengan CH, Moraes CT, et al. Mitochondrial DNA defects in Brazilian patients with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. J Neurol Sci. Nov 25 1997;152(2):160-5. [Medline].

  5. Ahn J, Kim NJ, Choung HK, et al. Frontalis sling operation using silicone rod for the correction of ptosis in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Br J Ophthalmol. Sept 11,2008.

  6. Souilem S, Chebel S, Mancuso M, et al. A novel mitochondrial tRNA(Ile) point mutation associated with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia and hyperCKemia. J Neurol Sci. Jan 15 2011;300(1-2):187-90. [Medline].

  7. De Coo IF, Gussinklo T, Arts PJ, et al. A PCR test for progressive external ophthalmoplegia and Kearns-Sayre syndrome on DNA from blood samples. J Neurol Sci. Jul 1997;149(1):37-40. [Medline].

  8. Peterson PL. The treatment of mitochondrial myopathies and encephalomyopathies. Biochim Biophys Acta. May 24 1995;1271(1):275-80. [Medline].

  9. Cohen JM, Waiss B. Combination ptosis crutch and moisture chamber for management of progressive external ophthalmoplegia. J Am Optom Assoc. Oct 1997;68(10):663-7. [Medline].

  10. Soejima K, Sakurai H, Nozaki M, et al. Surgical treatment of blepharoptosis caused by chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Ann Plast Surg. Apr 2006;56(4):439-42. [Medline].

  11. Wallace DK, Sprunger DT, Helveston EM, et al. Surgical management of strabismus associated with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. Ophthalmology. Apr 1997;104(4):695-700. [Medline].

  12. Ewart RM, Burrows RF. Pregnancy in chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia: a case report. Am J Perinatol. May 1997;14(5):293-5. [Medline].

  13. Fraunfelder FT, Roy FH, Randall J. Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia. In: Current Ocular Therapy. 5th ed. 2000:208-210.

  14. Kosmorsky G, Johns DR. Neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations of mitochondrial DNA disorders: chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia, Kearns-Sayre syndrome, and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. Neurol Clin. Feb 1991;9(1):147-61. [Medline].

  15. Phillips CI, Gosden CM. Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and Kearns-Sayre syndrome: mitochondrial DNA mutations. Surv Ophthalmol. May-Jun 1991;35(6):463-72. [Medline].

 
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This table outlines the differential diagnoses of chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia.
 
 
 
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