title: Atopic disease and herpes simplex eye disease: a population-based case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether atopy is associated with herpes simplex virus (HSV) ocular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, population-based, case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Large, regional health maintenance organization (Northern California Kaiser Permanente).
  
  
  METHODS
  1,042,351 people over a one-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic database search for HSV ocular disease and subsequent chart review determined study eligibility. Two age-matched control groups (one population-based and one clinic-based) were randomly chosen. Medical record review determined the presence of atopy. Severe atopic disease was defined by diagnostic code or illness requiring an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or treatment with a systemic corticosteroid.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of HSV eye disease, presence of atopy, and characterization of atopy severity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HSV eye disease was found in 172 patients. HSV cases had a greater prevalence of atopy (34%, 58/172) than the clinic-based (25%, 43/172) or the population-based controls (21%, 36/172, odds ratio (OR) 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9 to 2.6 and OR 1.9, 95%, CI 1.1 to 3.3, respectively). The association of HSV ocular disease with severe atopy was even greater, with a history of severe atopic disease in 13% (22/172) of patients with HSV ocular disease as compared with 6% (11/172) of patients in the clinic control group and 3% (5/172) of patients in the population control group (OR 2.0, 95% CI 0.7 to 5.9 and OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.6 to 19.2, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with HSV ocular disease are more likely to have a history of atopic disease, especially severe atopic disease, than age-matched controls.
authors.affiliation: Department Francis I. Proctor Foundation, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors.forename: Tisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Prabriputaloong
authors.forename: Todd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lietman
authors.forename: Ira G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Rookaya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mather
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Gritz
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016849:Keratitis, Herpetic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D044382:Population Groups; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors