Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the prevalence of elevated inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP, ANA, anti-ENA, anti-ds DNA) in non-infectious uveitis patients.
Methods: :
A retrospective review of patient records identified in a system-wide database at the National Eye Institute was performed. Inflammatory markers were studied as part of a diagnostic work-up for uveitis.
Results: :
One hundred eighty three patients with uveitis with sufficient data were identified. Of these,107 were females (58%); mean age was 40 years (range 5-80), 45% were Caucasian, and 42% were African-American. ESR was elevated in 20%, CRP was elevated in 26%, ANA was positive in 20%, anti-ENA was positive in 6%, and anti-ds DNA was positive in 1%. An underlying systemic disease was present in 37% in the entire cohort; systemic disease was present in 49% among those with any positive inflammatory marker vs. 50% of those with no detectable inflammatory markers. CRP and ANA were most prevalent in patients with systemic disease, 28% and 21%, respectively. There was no appreciable difference in the anatomic location of uveitis between inflammatory marker positive and negative patients: inflammatory markers were positive in 48% of patients with anterior uveitis, 45% in intermediate uveitis, and 37% in posterior/panuveitis.
Conclusions: :
The prevalence of inflammatory markers during the routine evaluation of uveitis patients does not seem to differ greatly based on the location of uveitis or between patients with and without systemic disease.
Keywords: inflammation • uveitis-clinical/animal model • clinical laboratory testing