Episcleritis and scleritis: clinical features and treatment results.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical experience with episcleritis and scleritis at a tertiary care eye center.


METHODS
Retrospective chart review.


RESULTS
One hundred thirty-four patients with scleral inflammation were seen over a 12-year period. Thirty-seven patients had episcleritis, and 97 patients had scleritis. Ocular complications occurred in only 13.5% of patients with episcleritis but in 58.8% of patients with scleritis (P <.0001). No patient with episcleritis had a decrease in visual acuity, whereas 15.9% of patients with scleritis did. Only 16.7% of patients with episcleritis required more than topical corticosteroids for treatment, and these patients required oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Conversely, 30.4% of patients with scleritis required nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 31.9% oral prednisone, and 26.1% systemic immunosuppressive drugs (P <.0001). Necrotizing scleritis and posterior scleritis more often were associated with ocular complications, occurring in 91.7% and 85.7%, respectively, than were diffuse anterior scleritis and nodular anterior scleritis (P =.020). Patients with necrotizing scleritis and posterior scleritis were more likely to be treated with oral corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs (90% and 100%, respectively) than were patients with diffuse anterior scleritis and nodular anterior scleritis (56.4% and 21.4%, respectively, P =.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Scleritis is a severe ocular inflammation, often associated with ocular complications, and nearly always treated with systemic medications. Nearly 60% of these patients will need oral corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs to control the disease.
Jabs
D A
DA
Department of Ophthalmology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. dajabs@jhmi.edu
Mudun
A
A
Dunn
J P
JP
Marsh
M J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015423:Scleritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone; D007213:Indomethacin