Abstract
Purpose:
To determine the characteristics of patients diagnosed with non-infectious persistent postoperative inflammation and to determine if this diagnosis occurs more often in various subgroups (race and gender.)
Methods:
Retrospective chart review of all patients seen between 2007 and 2010 (inclusive) at a single tertiary care academic uveitis center. Patients with non-infectious persistent postoperative inflammation were identified and compared to patients with other categories of uveitis. Characteristics were compared between groups using t-test and chi-square test for continuous and categorical variables, respectively.
Results:
732 patients were identified, 28 of which were diagnosed with non-infectious persistent postoperative inflammation (PPI)(3.8% of all patients). All but 3 cases followed cataract surgery and lens implantation. Of the 3 non-cataract cases, 2 were following trabeculectomy and one following SLT. All 28 had anterior disease, so comparison to non-PPI patients was limited to those with anterior uveitis (n = 485). The mean age at disease onset for PPI was 62 years (range 10-74) versus 45 years (range 1-94) for non-PPI patients (p=0.00001). Of patients with PPI, 29% were male, 71% female as compared to 33% male and 67% female for non-PPI patients (p = 0.64). Of PPI patients, African Americans comprised 61%, Caucasians 36%, and "Other" 4% versus for non-PPI, African Americans comprised 41%, Caucasians 57%, and "Other" 2% (p = 0.079). PPI patients manifested bilateral disease in 25% of cases, unilateral in 75% versus in non-PPI disease bilateral cases were 37% and unilateral 63% (p = 0.19). Of PPI patients with bilateral disease, 86% were African American and 14% were Caucasian. Of PPI patients with unilateral disease, 55% were African American and 45% were Causcian. Stated conversely, of African American PPI patients, 35% had bilateral disease, 65% unilateral disease. Of Caucasian PPI patients, 10% had bilateral disease, 90% unilateral disease (p = 0.15).
Conclusions:
Persistent postoperative inflammation occurs most commonly following cataract surgery and is anterior. Females are more likely to be affected but not to a greater degree than in non-PPI anterior uveitis. A trend towards a higher frequency in African Americans was found and African Americans were more likely to have bilateral PPI, though not to a statistically significant degree.