Epidemiology, Treatment, and Outcomes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis: A Multi-Institutional Study in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To assess the epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)–associated uveitis (JIA-U) in Taiwan.

Methods

Retrospective, multicenter database.

Results

Totally, 44 (6.1%) of the 722 JIA patients had uveitis. The mean ages of JIA and JIA-U diagnosis were 10.7 and 11.1 years, respectively. JIA-U patients had more antinuclear antibody presence. Among JIA-U patients, 25 (56.8%) were male, 11 (25.0%) experienced any ocular complication, and 8 (18.2%) received ocular surgery. Inactivity lasting ≥6 months was achieved in 17 (38.6%) patients; however, 11 (25.0%) of those experienced reactivation with a mean of 624.7 days after achieving inactivity. Female had more ocular complications and surgeries.

Conclusion

Late age at JIA-U diagnosis and male predominance were distinctive in Taiwan. For patients with inactivity lasting ≥ 6 months was achieved, they still required close follow-up due to the high reactivation rate within 2 years. Female had poorer ocular outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Adalimumab
• antinuclear antibody
• juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• methotrexate
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

This manuscript was edited by Wallace Academic Editing. The authors also thank Alfred Hsing-Fen Lin and Jane Shiu Yan-Jen for their assistance with statistical analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2022.2162927

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan [CMRPG3L0251]; Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, LinkouChang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou [CMRPG3L0251]