Objective: To describe the characteristics of uveitis in a Canadian referral centre and to identify predictors of uveitis recurrence.
Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Participants: Two hundred eighty-five patients with anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, or panuveitis.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients presenting with anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, or panuveitis to the sole uveitis subspecialist at the regional referral centre between September 2004 and March 2006. Patients with posterior uveitis were excluded. Characteristics such as onset, severity, anatomical subtype, systemic association or etiology, recurrence rate, response to treatment, and complications were identified. Regression analysis was used to determine predictors of uveitis recurrence.
Results: Three hundred sixty-four eyes from 285 patients were enrolled. Anatomical subtypes were 313 anterior, 36 intermediate, and 15 panuveitis. Systemic associations included ankylosing spondylitis (11.3%), inflammatory bowel disease (6%), sarcoidosis (4.1%), and herpes infections (3.8%). A human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27)-related association was found in 86 patients (23.6%). Patients with uveitis-associated complications or back symptomatology were more likely to have a recurrence (odds ratios 3.86 and 2.29, respectively).
Conclusions: Common associations were ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, sarcoidosis, and herpes infections. Patients with uveitis complications and back symptomatology were significantly more likely to have uveitis recurrences.