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The Challenge of Pediatric Uveitis: Tertiary Referral Center Experience in the United States |
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| Authors: | Mariantonia Ferrara Laura Eggenschwiler Andrew Stephenson Alyssa Montieth Nakhoul Nakhoul Rafael Araùjo-Miranda |
| Affiliation: | 1. Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA;2. The Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA;3. Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Science, Federico II University, Naples, Italy;4. Department of Ophthalmology, Barich Padeh Medical Center, Poriya, Israel;5. Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel;6. FISABIO Oftalmologia Medica, Valencia, Spain |
| Abstract: | Purpose: To describe the distribution, clinical findings, visual outcomes, treatment, and complications of children with uveitis at a tertiary referral ophthalmic center. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. We reviewed the medical records of all patients ≤16 years with uveitis referred to Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution from March 2005 to July 2016. Results: Of 286 included children, 62.24% were female. Mean age of onset was 8.4 years. The uveitis was mainly anterior (61.9%), recurrent (68.53%), bilateral (81.82%), and noninfectious (96.5%). Idiopathic cases accounted for 51.4%. The most frequent systemic association was juvenile idiopathic arthritis (34.96%). The majority of patients (78.32%) experienced complications. All patients, except one, needed systemic therapy. Conclusion: Pediatric uveitis is challenging to diagnose and manage, with frequent and potentially severe complications. Most cases were bilateral, recurrent, and idiopathic. Prompt referral to uveitis-specialized centers and an appropriate systemic therapy are mandatory for good visual outcomes. |
| Keywords: | Epidemiology immunomodulatory therapy pediatric uveitis uveitis visual loss |
