RETINAL VASCULITIS, A COMMON MANIFESTATION OF IDIOPATHIC PEDIATRIC UVEITIS?

Purpose: Pediatric idiopathic uveitis typically shows anterior segment involvement. Whether retinal vasculitis is an important manifestation of this disease remains unknown and was therefore the subject of this study.

Methods: This study was performed involving patients with pediatric idiopathic uveitis. Fundus fluorescein angiography was used to assess the presence of retinal vasculitis.

Results: A total of 1,867 patients with pediatric uveitis were seen between December 2008 and January 2018, of whom 1,364 had undergone fundus fluorescein angiography examination. Idiopathic uveitis was the most common entity, accounting for 81.2%. Among these patients with idiopathic uveitis, 79.6% had retinal vasculitis in at least one eye. After 1-year treatment with oral prednisone mostly combined with cyclosporine, 76.3% patients in the retinal vasculitis group achieved control of their ocular inflammation, which was significantly lower as compared with 85.1% in those without (P = 0.008). Retinal vasculitis was an independent predictor for a lower probability of inflammation control after 1-year treatment. Visual function (best-corrected visual acuity > 20/25 in the better seeing eye) was worse in the retinal vasculitis group than in the control group after 5 years.

Conclusion: Almost 80% of patients with pediatric idiopathic uveitis show manifestations of retinal vasculitis, which is associated with a lower probability of inflammation control resulting in a worse visual prognosis.