Paediatric uveitis: a Sydney clinic experience

Abstract

The aim of this study was to retrospectively review uveitis cases at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, since its inception in 1997 to 2001, including patients presenting at the Camperdown, Sydney, campus between 1989 and 1997 attending Westmead for further care. Comparison is made with international centres. Information was obtained from medical records. Forty patients (53 eyes) presented, of whom 23 (57.5%) were female and 17 (42.5%) were male (mean age 6.7 years). Of 53 eyes, 35 (66%) had anterior uveitis, three (5.7%) intermediate uveitis, seven (13.2%) posterior uveitis and eight (15.1%) panuveitis. Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients had disease unilaterally and 13 (32.5%) bilaterally. Twenty-four (60%) cases were idiopathic. Seven (17.5%) cases were associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, three (7.5%) with herpes zoster, two (5%) with herpes simplex, two (5%) with toxocara, one (2.5%) with toxoplasma, and one (2.5%) with ulcerative colitis. Complications included cataract in 14 (26.4%) eyes; band keratopathy in four (7.5%) eyes; macular scarring in three (5.7%) eyes; and glaucoma in four (7.5%) eyes. Last measured acuity was 6/6 for 19 (35.8%) eyes, < or =6/18 for 15 (28.3%) eyes and <6/60 for eight (15.1%) eyes. Despite small numbers, the comparisons of this study with some international studies, and its contrasts with other studies, are due to similarities and differences amongst these studies with respect to factors of referral bias, and the aetiological basis of disease.