title: Risk factors associated with the relapse of uveitis in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk factors associated with relapse of uveitis in patients with recurrent uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) after treatment with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) and durable remission of 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 30 patients with JIA-associated uveitis who were successfully treated with IMT to a state of corticosteroid-free remission and subsequently remained in remission after discontinuation of IMT for a period of at least 1 year were retrospectively reviewed. In subsequent follow-up, some patients had relapse of uveitis, whereas others continued to be in remission. Remission was defined as <1 + cells in the anterior chamber and <1 + vitreous haze grading; relapse was defined as ≥ 1 + cell in the anterior chamber or ≥ 1 + vitreous haze grading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 30 patients were included. Of these, 17 (56.7%) patients remained in uveitic remission, whereas 13 (43.3%) relapsed. The patients in remission received IMT earlier in the course of disease compared with patients who relapsed (median, 12 months vs 72 months; P = 0.002 [Mann-Whitney test]). Patients in remission had received treatment with IMT at a younger age compared with the relapse group (median age, 7 years vs 13 years; P = 0.02 [Mann-Whitney test]). None of the other factors studied revealed a statistically significant association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with JIA-associated uveitis who were treated with IMT earlier in the course of disease and at a younger age were associated with a lower rate of relapse of uveitis after durable remission and 1 year of quiescence, compared with similar patients who relapsed.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Ujwala S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Saboo
authors.forename: Jamie Lynne
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Metzinger
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radwan
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arcinue
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Ashik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: C Stephen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents