title: Risk factors for ocular complications and poor visual acuity at presentation among patients with uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the frequencies of and risk factors for ocular complications and poor visual acuity at presentation in a cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  setting: Single-center, academic practice. study population: Seventy-five patients with JIA-associated uveitis were evaluated between July 1984 and August 2005. observation procedures: Data on patients diagnosed with JIA-associated uveitis were entered retrospectively into a database and analyzed. outcome measures: Visual acuity of 20/50 or worse or 20/200 or worse, and presence of ocular complications (including cataract, posterior synechiae, band keratopathy, elevated intraocular pressure, hypotony, macular edema, and epiretinal membrane) at presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At presentation, ocular complications were seen in 67% of eyes affected by JIA-associated uveitis. Presence of > or =1+ anterior chamber flare, a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA), and a shorter duration between the diagnosis of arthritis and uveitis were significantly associated with the presence of ocular complication. The frequencies of 20/50 or worse and of 20/200 or worse visual acuities at presentation in affected eyes were 36% and 24%, respectively. The presence of > or =1+ anterior chamber flare and a history of intraocular surgery before presentation were significantly associated with 20/50 or worse and 20/200 or worse vision. Presence of posterior synechiae also was associated with 20/200 or worse vision at presentation. The main causes of poor vision at presentation for affected eyes and better-seeing eyes were cataract, band keratopathy within the visual axis, and glaucoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ocular complications and poor vision at presentation were common in our patients with JIA-related uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Fasika
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Woreta
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Thorne
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jabs
authors.forename: Sanjay R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kedhar
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear