Uveitis in childhood: an Italian clinical and epidemiological study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate demographics, causes, features, and visual outcomes of pediatric uveitis.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study including 257 patients younger than 16 years.


RESULTS
Mean age at onset of uveitis was 8.54 +/- 3.98 years; 54.5% of the patients were girls. Anterior uveitis occurred in 47.8%, intermediate in 19.4%, posterior in 24.9%, panuveitis in 7.8%. Ocular involvement was bilateral in 67.8%. Infectious uveitis represented 31% of all cases. Causes of severe visual loss were cataract, macular scars, macular edema/maculopathy, and secondary glaucoma. At follow-up 79.3% of eyes maintained a visual acuity between 20/32 and 20/20.


CONCLUSIONS
Uveitis is rarer in children than in adults. Patients with anterior uveitis comprised the largest group. Posterior uveitis in the pediatric population has a lower incidence than some decades ago. Visual prognosis of pediatric uveitis is improving, owing to an earlier diagnosis and a correct treatment.
Paroli
Maria Pia
MP
Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Immunovirology Service, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. mpparoli@jumpy.it
Spinucci
Giovanni
G
Liverani
Marco
M
Monte
Rita
R
Pezzi
Paolo Pivetti
PP
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002386:Cataract; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007239:Infections; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014605:Uveitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity