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Purpose: To develop an algorithm for the diagnosis of Behçet's disease (BD) uveitis based on ocular findings. Methods: Following an initial survey among uveitis experts, we collected multi-center retrospective data on 211 patients with BD uveitis and 207 patients with other uveitides, and identified ocular findings with a high diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). Subsequently, we collected multi-center prospective data on 127 patients with BD uveitis and 322 controls and developed a diagnostic algorithm using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis and expert opinion. Results: We identified 10 items with DOR >5. The items that provided the highest accuracy in CART analysis included superficial retinal infiltrate, signs of occlusive retinal vasculitis, and diffuse retinal capillary leakage as well as the absence of granulomatous anterior uveitis or choroiditis in patients with vitritis. Conclusion: This study provides a diagnostic tree for BD uveitis that needs to be validated in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behçet disease is a chronic relapsing multisystem inflammatory disorder. Ocular involvement is characterized by a bilateral recurrent non-granulomatous panuveitis and retinal vasculitis. Posterior segment findings vary during the course of the disease, in parallel with the relapsing and remitting intraocular inflammation. Structural alterations occur with increased disease duration. Fluorescein angiography is the gold standard in revealing the extent and severity as well as the leaky and/or occlusive nature of retinal vasculitis. Multimodal imaging using color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography is essential in visualizing diagnostic features, detecting structural changes, and monitoring disease activity and response to treatment in patients with Behçet uveitis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: To evaluate agreement and estimate sensitivity and specificity of uveitis specialists' interpretation of ocular photographs in diagnosing Behçet uveitis. Methods: Fourteen Turkish uveitis specialists, masked to demographic and clinical features of patients, independently labeled ocular photographs (29 Behçet/30 other diagnoses) as 'Behçet uveitis' or 'non-Behçet.' Level of agreement was evaluated using kappa statistics. Photographs were categorized based on ocular signs captured and performance of observers. Results: Exact agreement with the correct diagnosis was 56-81%. Seven reviewers correctly labeled more than 70% of photographs. Interobserver agreement among those 7 reviewers revealed moderate ( κ = 0.41-0.60) or substantial ( κ = 0.61-0.80) agreement in 76% of pairs. Smooth layered hypopyon, superficial retinal infiltrate with retinal hemorrhages, and branch retinal vein occlusion with vitreous haze were correctly recognized as Behçet uveitis by majority of reviewers. Conclusions: There are ocular signs of Behçet disease that can be considered diagnostic even in the absence of any other clinical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the referral patterns and clinical features of uveitis in tertiary eye care centers in Turkey. Methods: Uveitis services of eight university clinics collected data on uveitis patients who presented during 2004. Data were collected on a form including a questionnaire on socio-demographic and clinical features which were documented at presentation. Results: A total of 761 patients (1187 eyes) with a mean age of 35.5 years were included in the study. Male to female ratio was 1.04:1. The majority of patients (89.6%) were from an urban population, 53% were referrals and 43% had had uveitis for more than one year. The most common type of uveitis was anterior uveitis (52.5%) followed by panuveitis (28.1%), posterior uveitis (12.7%) and intermediate uveitis (6.7%). In 56.8% of patients an etiological classification was established. The most common etiology was Behcet's disease (32.1%), followed by Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis (5.1%) and ocular toxoplasmosis (4.7%). Among 48 pediatric patients uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and ocular toxoplasmosis both having equal frequencies (12.5%) were the most common diagnosis. These were followed by Behcet's disease with juvenile-onset (10.4%). At the time of presentation, 6.25% of the patients were legally blind (having visual acuity less than 0.1 in the better seeing eye). Conclusion: Compared to the uveitis series reported from other countries, Behcet uveitis was the leading cause of uveitis in this series. Uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and ocular toxoplasmosis were the most common cause of uveitis in childhood. On the other hand, entities like acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related uveitis, presumed ocular histoplasmosis and Birdshot retinochoroidopathy were rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]