title: Uveitis in São Paulo, Brazil: 1053 New Patients in 15 Months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical profile of uveitis and analyze changes over a 34-year period in the frequency of different entities and demographics, anatomic data, diagnoses, and systemic associations in São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1053 consecutive patients who presented for the first time at the outpatient uveitis clinic were analyzed in a prospective, observational study, conducted between July 2012 and September 2013. Age, gender, clinical characteristics, visual acuity, and clinical and etiologic diagnoses in patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 39.8 ± 17.8 years (56.8% female), with most between 41 and 64 years (41.79%); 10.9% of the patients were HIV-positive and 8.1% were legally blind (best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA): ≤ 20/400) at the first evaluation. The posterior, bilateral, and chronic forms of uveitis occurred most frequently and toxoplasmosis was the main cause (24.03%) but was less frequent than in 1980; the same was true for Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis. Syphilis, tuberculosis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis had increased incidence rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current results can help determine the present epidemiology of uveitis and its changes over time in Brazil and increases essential information about the disease. Many uveitic entities are curable and visual damage can be prevented or limited if treated early and appropriately.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology, São Paulo Hospital, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Federal University of São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gonzalez Fernandez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology, São Paulo Hospital, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Federal University of São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Heloisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology, São Paulo Hospital, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Federal University of São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology, São Paulo Hospital, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Federal University of São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muccioli
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology, São Paulo Hospital, Escola Paulista de Medicina , Federal University of São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Rubens
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belfort
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Epidemiology; Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease; juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis; syphilis; toxoplasmosis; tuberculosis; uveitis