Rates of spondyloarthropathies vary with age and ethnicity in HLAB27 uveitis.

Background/aims: To determine associations between HLAB27-positive uveitis, ethnicity and seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpAs) in a New Zealand population.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study. Medical records of all subjects with uveitis at Auckland District Health Board from 2008 to 2018 were reviewed for HLAB27 status, age of presentation, ethnicity and SpA.

Results: In 10 years, 2567 subjects with uveitis were seen and 492 (19.2%) were HLAB27-positive. Of the HLAB27-positive subjects, 301 were male (60.3%) and median age was 37.8 years (IQR 29.7-50.0). Ethnicities were Caucasian (n=298, 60.6%), Asian (n=111, 22.6%), Maori (n=41, 8.2%) and Pacific Islander (n=38, 7.7%). Uveitis classification was anterior (n=478, 97.2%), intermediate (n=40, 8.1%), panuveitis (n=9, 1.8%) and scleritis (n=2, 0.4%). Maori or Pacific Islander ethnicity was associated with intermediate or panuveitis (p=0.003). Ankylosing spondylitis occurred in 163 subjects (33.1%); 29 (17.8%) were Maori or Pacific Islander. Subjects were younger (OR 0.982, p=0.009) and male (OR 1.980, p=0.001). There was no association with ethnicity or uveitis classification. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) occurred in 11 subjects (2.2%). Chronic anterior uveitis was more common with PsA (27.3% vs 7.1%, p=0.023). There was no association with gender or ethnicity. Inflammatory bowel disease occurred in 19 subjects (3.8%) and reactive arthritis occurred in 14 subjects (2.8%). None developed chronic anterior uveitis (p=0.246 and p=0.227, respectively). There was no association with age at presentation, gender, ethnicity or uveitis classification.

Conclusion: This cohort of New Zealand-based subjects with HLAB27-positive uveitis showed a difference in age and ethnicity in uveitis subtypes and SpAs.