Uveitis Patterns and Severity: An Epidemiologic Study from a Tertiary Care Private Referral Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To report uveitis’ spectrum in a private practice cohort in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Methods

Retrospective review at Instituto de la Visión (November 2011-October 2015). Standard demographics, ethnicity and Native American aboriginal ancestry were recorded.

Results

Among 212 patients, median age 45 (6-97), 10% pediatric, 35% bilateral, 72% non-idiopathic, 36% infectious. Anterior uveitis presented in 50%, followed by posterior (32%), intermediate (9%) and panuveitis (8%). Frequent visits (≥ 6 per year) needed by 29%: posterior, non-idiopathic disease with 79% systemic immunosuppression requirement was their main presentation. Native American aboriginal ancestry was reported by 22.64% of the whole cohort and 37% of frequent visits’ subgroup.

Conclusions

Unilateral, non-idiopathic, non-infectious anterior uveitis was the most frequent presentation, in agreement with reports coming from western developed cities. The multi-racial Argentinian population with specific Native American aboriginal ancestry might contribute to certain forms of posterior uveitis and their response to treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Ancestry
• Argentina
• epidemiology
• severity
• urban
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Dr. Mariela Caputo and Dr. Daniel Corach (Servicio de Huellas Digitales Genéticas, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina) for their valuable contributions to this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.