title: Comparison of presenting features and three-year disease course in Turkish patients with Behçet uveitis who presented in the early 1990s and the early 2000s.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare Behçet uveitis patients who presented in the 1990s and 2000s.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 170 patients seen in 1990-1994 and 258 patients seen in 2000-2004 were reviewed. Presenting features were analyzed in the whole cohort. Uveitis attacks, vision, complications, and immunomodulatory treatment (IMT) were compared in patients with 3-year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Posterior segment involvement was less common, visual acuity was better, and more patients received IMT before referral in the 2000s. Follow-up revealed no significant difference in number of uveitis attacks in the first 3 years. Less eyes lost useful vision, no patient became legally blind, and fewer severe ocular complications occurred in the 2000s. IMT was started within 3 months in more patients and interferon alfa-2a was used only in the latter study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest a milder disease at referral, lower rate of severe complications, and a better 3-year visual outcome in patients who presented in the early 2000s.
authors.affiliation: Dicle University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah Kursat
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Cingu
authors.forename: Sumru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: Meri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urgancioglu
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tugal-Tutkun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015994:Incidence; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins