[Posterior uveitis in systemic diseases. A pathologic and epidemiologic study].

In the course of 2943 autopsies, during which the eyes were also removed, investigations were carried out concerning inflammatory lesions of the posterior uveal tract. Posterior uveitis was found in 202 cases (6.9%) of subjects whose mean age was 74.5 years. In 98% of the cases this was a non-granulomatous inflammation. The frequency of the associated systemic diseases in the cases of uveitis was compared with the frequency of such diseases in an accurately chosen control group. The results of our investigation showed that diabetes mellitus and inflammatory diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, myocarditis, endocarditis and hepatitis are more frequently found in patients with uveitis.