title: CHARACTERISTICS AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH NONINFECTIOUS RETINAL VASCULITIS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics and long-term outcome of patients with noninfectious retinal vasculitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective multicenter study. Main outcome measures included patients' characteristics, ocular findings, treatment modalities, and best-corrected visual acuity. All patients had at least 12-month follow-up time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-two eyes (45 patients) were included. Median follow-up was 46 months (range, 12-210 months). At presentation, 12 of the 45 patients (26.6%) had a known associated systemic or ocular disease. A diagnosis of a new systemic disease was found in additional 14 of 33 patients (42.5%) and birdshot chorioretinopathy in 3 of 33 patients (9.1%). The most common systemic disease was Behcet disease (17/24 patients; 70.8%). Laboratory tests had a low diagnostic value. The most common clinical findings were vitritis (58.5%) and perivascular sheathing (50.5%). Most patients were treated with immunosuppressive medications. Mean best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly during follow-up, patients with Behcet disease and worse visual acuity at baseline were more likely to have visual acuity improvement (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new systemic or ocular disease associated with retinal vasculitis was found in more than half of the patients. Behcet disease was the most common newly diagnosed disease. Specific diagnosis leading to proper management is important to maintain favorable long-term visual outcome.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; †Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Shiri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shulman
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Radgonde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sorkin
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaap-Fogler
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: Zohar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Habot-Wilner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents