Pediatric Uveitis in a Tertiary Referral Center in East China: Clinical Patterns and Visual Outcomes.

Background

To describe the clinical patterns and visual outcomes of pediatric uveitis at a tertiary referral center in East China.

Methods

Retrospective case series. Clinical records of patients with pediatric uveitis who presented between January 2014 and July 2021 were reviewed.

Results

The children included (n = 283; 146 females, 137 males) had a mean age at presentation of 10.6 ± 3.5 years. There was a predominance of chronic (62.9%), noninfectious (81.3%) disease, and anterior uveitis was the most common uveitis type (54.8%). Idiopathic chronic anterior uveitis (17.3%) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated anterior uveitis (16.3%) were the most common noninfectious types; ocular toxocariasis (14.8%) and viral retinitis (1.4%) were the most common infectious etiologies. Ocular complications were observed in 53.0% of patients during follow-up. Systemic immunosuppressive therapy was administered to 66.8% of patients, 67.2% of whom required immunosuppressive drugs and/or biological agents (127/189 children). Surgical treatment was conducted in 38 (13.4%) patients. Improvement or preservation of visual acuity was observed in 95.2% of patients for whom follow-up visual acuity was recorded (179/188 patients).

Conclusions

Pediatric uveitis was predominantly chronic and noninfectious, with anterior involvement. Systemic therapy was required by most patients, and most eyes showed improved visual acuity.