title: Clinical features of HTLV-I associated uveitis.
abstract: The prevalence of human T cell lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-I) was studied among patients with endogenous uveitis. Twelve (15.8%) of 76 uveitis patients with known aetiology or clinical entity were seropositive, the prevalence being comparable with that in the general population of the southwestern area of Japan where HTLV-I is highly endemic. In the comparison, 32 (41.0%) of 78 patients with aetiology or entity undefined uveitis were seropositive for HTLV-I, which indicated a significantly higher seroprevalence than controls matched for sex and age. The 32 cases of clinical entity undefined, HTLV-I positive uveitis were characterised by acute granulomatous or non-granulomatous uveal reactions which were accompanied by vitreous opacities and retinal vasculitis. The uveal inflammatory and retinal vascular changes responded well to topical and/or systemic corticosteroids and resolved in a few weeks in the majority of cases with favourable visual outcome. The disease affected one or both eyes, and eight cases (25%) showed recurrence within a year. The general condition of the patients remained well otherwise during a follow up study (mean follow up time 15.4 months), except for three cases with a possible association of hyperthyroidism. These findings provide additional information favouring an association between HTLV-I and isolated uveitis, a new disease entity which should be termed HTLV-I-associated uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kagoshima University, Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014602:Uvea / Q000473:pathology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies