title: Elevated laser flare values correlate with complicated course of anterior uveitis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prognostic value of anterior chamber (AC) laser flare (LF) in uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Monocentre, retrospective study of 150 JIA children (girls n = 107, 71.3%) with unilateral or bilateral chronic anterior uveitis (statistical analysis of one eye per patient). LF values (KOWA FM-500), visual acuity, intraocular pressure, glaucoma treatment and uveitis complications were investigated longitudinally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were followed up for a mean of 8.7 months (range 1-36). High LF values correlated with poor visual acuity (p < 0.0001). Patients with low LF values (LF ≤ 20 photon units per millisecond) less often required glaucoma medication (p = 0.0005) or surgery (p = 0.01) and showed a lower prevalence of cataract, band keratopathy, posterior synechiae, epiretinal membrane, optic disc oedema and glaucoma/ocular hypertension (p < 0.05, each). Baseline LF > 20 photon units per millisecond was a better prognosticator for the development of subsequent complications than baseline AC cells (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High LF values in patients with JIA uveitis are associated with poor vision and a higher prevalence of uveitis complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tappeiner
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roesel
authors.forename: Arnd
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiligenhaus
mesh_terms: D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents