Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 uveitis after Graves' disease.

A distinct clinical entity of uveitis associated with human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) has been reported previously. During the period between January 1989 and April 1992, 93 patients were observed with HTLV-I uveitis and a significant correlation was found between Graves' disease and HTLV-I uveitis. Sixteen of the 93 patients with HTLV-I uveitis (17.2%) had a previous history of Graves' disease. Fifteen patients were female (15/60, 25.0%) and one was male (1/33, 3.0%). Interestingly, uveitis occurred after the onset of Graves' disease in all cases. On the other hand, none of 222 patients with idiopathic uveitis who were seronegative to HTLV-I had a history of Graves' disease. Although the mechanisms by which HTLV-I causes the correlation between uveitis and Graves' disease are unknown, the present data suggest that immune mediated or autoimmune mechanisms are involved in HTLV-I uveitis.