Laser Flare Photometry: A Useful Tool for Monitoring Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-associated Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose

We evaluated laser flare photometry (LFP) values in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis.

Methods

Retrospective study. A decrease of the LFP value between baseline visit and 1 month after anti-inflammatory treatment intensification allowed us to define two groups of patients: group 1 (decreased LFP value ≥50%) and group 2 (<50%). We evaluated the prevalence of vision-threatening complications in both groups.

Results

Fifty-four patients (87 eyes) were followed for 9.9 ± 5 years. Group 1 eyes (n = 54) had significantly fewer ocular complications than group 2 eyes (n = 33) at both 5 years visit (p = .03) and final visit (p = .047). At the final visit, group 2 eyes had significantly more band keratopathy, trabeculectomy, cataract surgery, glaucoma and papille edema. Group 1 eyes kept a better visual acuity (p < .0001).

Conclusion

The decrease of LFP values ≥50% of the initial value 1 month after treatment intensification is a good early prognostic factor.

KEYWORDS:

• Uveitis
• juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• laser flare photometry

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms. Linda Northrup for English editing and Ms. Betty Sanadj for her assistance in files research. This work was presented as an oral poster presentation at the IOIS meeting in October 2017 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where it obtained the award for the best oral poster presentation.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

Dr. Thorne has funding from the Kids Uveitis Research and Education (KURE) fund at the Wilmer Eye Institute, without link with the present work.