Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in Hispanic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical features of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) in Hispanic patients.


METHODS
Retrospective review of the records of 48 Hispanic patients diagnosed with VKH. The patients were divided into two groups: patients in the early phase of VKH (n = 11) were those who presented within 1 month after the onset of symptoms; patients in the late or chronic VKH phase (n = 37) were those who presented 6 months after onset of symptoms. Demographic data, clinical features, complications and initial and final visual acuity for each patient were recorded.


RESULTS
All 11 patients in early phase VKH presented with bilateral uveitis (100%). Meningismus was noted in six cases and auditory disturbances in three. Ocular findings for these 11 patients included exudative retinal detachment in ten patients (91%) and marked optic disc edema in one patient. In the late phase VKH, ocular findings included sunset glow fundus in 26 patients (70%), peripheral nummular scars in 27 (73%), and retinal pigment epithelium hyperplasia in seven (19%). Extraocular manifestations noted in this group of patients included vitiligo in four, poliosis in six, and alopecia in five; auditory disturbances were found in four patients. The visual acuity improved in 60-70% of the patients after treatment with corticosteroids alone or in combination with immunosuppressive agents.


CONCLUSIONS
Hispanic patients with VKH often present without extraocular changes during early phase of the disease. However, once the disease evolves into the chronic phase, integumentary system involvement may become apparent in some patients.
Sukavatcharin
Somsiri
S
Doheny Eye Institute, 1355 San Pablo Street DVRC211, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Tsai
Julie H
JH
Rao
Narsing A
NA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology*; D014792:Visual Acuity
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents