[Search for etiology in 110 cases of uveitis. Value of punctures of the aqueous humor and vitreous body].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the frequency of each aetiology, comparison with recent and previous publications, focus on less classical pathologies, and interest of some complementary investigations.


METHODS
Prospective study of one hundred and ten cases of uveitis, submitted to aetiological investigations, including, when feasible or necessary, an anterior chamber paracentesis and a vitreous paracentesis.


RESULTS
An aetiology was identified in 65% of the cases. Toxoplasmosis still remained the most frequent diagnosis (one out of four), followed by viral infection (15%), especially herpes simplex (9%), a notion as yet not mentioned in large statistical surveys, including recent ones. Tuberculosis allergy and rhumatismal diseases (ankylosing spondylitis) represent the two other large groups (5% each). The rest is divided among the other classical causes. These results, particularly toxoplasmosis and viruses, are always based on biological criteria, on the Witmer-Desmonts ratio in aqueous humour, or even the same ratio in vitreous.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms the predominant role of anterior chamber paracentesis, the only means of establishing a firm diagnosis for certain categories of uveitis (toxoplasmosis and viruses); it is difficult to conceive how such an investigation can be questioned, to the benefit of a purely biomicroscopic diagnosis, leading to blatant errors, as demonstrated by the results of anterior chamber paracentesis. This study also shows, due to this paracentesis, the increasing role of viruses in the aetiology of uveitis, emphasizing the risks taken when any uveitis is systematically submitted to corticotherapy.
Haut
J
J
Service d'Ophtalmologie, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Paris, France.
Roman
S
S
Morin
Y
Y
Monin
C
C
Morel
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011677:Punctures; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology
Recherche étiologique de cent dix uvéites. Intérêt des ponctions d'humeur aqueuse et du vitré.