1. Changes in patterns of uveitis at a tertiary referral center in Northern Italy: analysis of 990 consecutive cases
- Author
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Salvarani Carlo, Soriano Alessandra, Aldigeri Raffaella, Fontana Luigi, Chersich Matthew, Parmeggiani Maria, Coassin Marco, Zerbini Alessandro, Belloni Lucia, Viscogliosi Fabiana, Marchi Sylvia, Mastrofilippo Valentina, Soldani Annamaria, Savoldi Luisa, Cimino Luca, and De Fanti Alessandro
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Pediatrics ,Eye Infections ,Tertiary Care Centers ,Uveitis ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Panuveitis ,Epidemiology ,Humans ,Medicine ,Ocular disease ,Aged ,030203 arthritis & rheumatology ,business.industry ,Incidence ,Middle Aged ,Infection ,Interdisciplinary approach ,Italy ,Systemic disease ,medicine.disease ,Uveitis, Anterior ,Surgery ,Northern italy ,Ophthalmology ,030221 ophthalmology & optometry ,Referral center ,Female ,Erratum ,business ,Uveitis, Intermediate - Abstract
The role of uveitis, an uncommon ocular disease, is often neglected in research and treatment of autoimmune conditions. The study described the spectrum of uveitis at a referral center in North Italy, and compared that to a previously published series of patients.We reviewed all patients with uveitis diagnosed from 2013 to 2015 at the Immunology Eye Unit, Arcispedale S. M. Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy. We examined patient characteristics, disease spectrum, and etiologies.In total, 990 cases of uveitis were identified, who were mostly female (59%) with a median age at presentation of 44 years (interquartile range = 29-57). Anterior uveitis was most frequent (53.5%), followed by panuveitis (22.8%), posterior (16.2%), and intermediate uveitis (5.5%). Anterior herpetic uveitis (15.6%), Fuchs uveitis (9.7%), and HLA-B27 positive anterior uveitis (7.7%) were the most common specific diagnoses. Compared with the previous series, we observed an increased incidence of uveitis, and a different pattern of diagnoses. Rates of herpetic, HLA-B27 positive uveitis, and presumed ocular tuberculosis were higher, but Fuchs uveitis was less frequent.The pattern of uveitis appears to be changing, very likely due to population-level increases in infectious diseases, to the availability of new diagnostic tests and to the interdisciplinary approach used in patient diagnosis.
- Published
- 2017