Tuberculous uveitis at a referral center in southeastern Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the occurrence of tuberculous uveitis (TBU) at a referral center in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.


METHODS
A total of 16 consecutive patients (>15 years of age) who underwent diagnostic evaluation of uveitis between January of 2001 and July of 2004 at the Minas Gerais State Referral Center were selected for study. Demographic and clinical data, as well as data related to screening for toxoplasmosis, syphilis, and rheumatologic diseases, together with the results of tuberculin skin testing and HIV testing, were collected.


RESULTS
Of the16 patients evaluated, 11 (69%) were found to have TBU. A history of contact with pulmonary tuberculosis was reported by 8 (72%) of the 11 patients with TBU and by 1 (20%) of the 5 with non-TBU. Although the odds ratio for this association was 10.67 (95% CI: 0.59-398.66), the p value was borderline significant (p = 0.078). There was no difference between the patients with TBU and those with non-TBU in terms of the status of ocular inflammation or the tuberculin skin testing results. All of the patients were HIV negative and were monitored for two years.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, a history of contact with pulmonary tuberculosis proved to be useful in diagnosing TBU.
Campos
Wesley Ribeiro
WR
Federal University of Minas Gerais School of Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. spindola@medicina.ufmg.br
Henriques
Juliana Fulgêncio
JF
Kritski
Afrânio Lineu
AL
Curi
André
A
Pimentel
Rosita Tomishi
RT
Spindola de Miranda
Silvana
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014392:Tuberculosis, Ocular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy