2001 Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group, Abstract 1

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Chronic Anterior Uveitis: an Infrequently Recognized Form of HLA-B27- Associated Uveitis in Female Patients
B.C. Branco, A Hovakimyan, A.C.J, Cha and E. T. Cunningham Jr.
The Francis I Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, CA

Purpose: To describe chronic anterior uveitis as an infrequently recognized form ofHLA-B27-associated uveitis in female patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of 77 HLA-B27 positive patients seen at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation between January 1997 and July 2001.

Results: Forty-two of the 77 (54,5%) patients were male with a mean age of 33 years and a median age of 30 years. Thirty-five (45.5%) patients were female with a mean age of 33 years, and a median age of 32 years. A total of eleven children 16 years of age or younger were seen, including six girls and five boys. Chronic anterior uveitis was observed in fifteen of 35 female patients (42.8%) and six of 42 male patients (14.3%;chi2 p=0.03). Among children, chronic anterior uveitis was observed in four of six girls (66.6%) and in one of five boys (20%; Fisher's exact p^O.5). Among all patients with chronic anterior uveitis, associated systemic conditions included: ankylosing spondylitis in four of 21 [19.4%]; inflammatory bowel disease in one of 21 [4.8%]; andpsoriatic arthritis in two of 21 men [9.7%]. Among all patients with acute or recurrent anterior uveitis, associated systemic conditions included: ankylosing spondylitis in nine of 56 [16.1%]; Reiters in seven of 56 [12.5%]; inflammatory bowel disease in three of 56 [5.4%] and psoriatic arthritis in two of 56 [3.6%].

Conclusions: Female patients are more likely than male patients to have chronic anterior uveitis in ths setting of HLA-B267 positivity.

* Supported by CNPq-Brazil.

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