Prevalence of subclinical anterior uveitis in adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of subclinical anterior uveitis in adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease.


METHODS
In 179 consecutive patients (96 with Crohn's disease, 55 with ulcerative colitis, and 28 with inflammatory bowel disease of undetermined nature) without previous or concurrent ocular complaints, quantitative flare measurements were obtained with the Kowa FC laser flare to detect the presence of subclinical uveitis.


RESULTS
The mean flare value was 3.9 (SD 1.1) ph/ms in patients younger than 30 years of age, rising to 5.8 (2.5) ph/ms in those over 60 years of age. No measurement performed in this patient population fell outside the mean observed value plus or minus SD of the normal controls within the same age category.


CONCLUSIONS
In an adult population of 179 consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease the presence of a form of subclinical uveitis, as described by Hofley et al in a group of juvenile patients, is highly unlikely.
Verbraak
F D
FD
Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, P O Box 22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. f.d.verbraak@amc.uva.nl
Schreinemachers
M C
MC
Tiller
A
A
van Deventer
S J
SJ
de Smet
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D007834:Lasers; D008875:Middle Aged; D010783:Photometry / Q000379:methods; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis