Abstract
Purpose: :
To compare the overall prevalence and incidence of flare-ups of anterior uveitis in female patients of different reproductive stages of life.
Methods: :
The records of 1896 female patients with anterior uveitis who attended the uveitis clinic at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in the last six years were reviewed in this study. The patients were assigned to one of three categories according to reproductive stage: premenarche (N=139), eumenorrheic (N=743), and postmenopausal (N=1041). Analysis of the total number of visits was performed using the practice software (MD Office, Inc 1967 Oak Tree Road Edison, NJ 08820). A more detailed assessment of the clinical course of 30 patients from each subgroup was done for the year prior to the date of the most recent visit.
Results: :
The distribution of anterior uveitis was higher during the postmenopausal period (53% of patients) compared to the premenarche (7%) and eumenorrheic (39%) stages of life over the last six years at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. The more detailed review of 30 patient charts from each group showed a higher incidence of uveitis flare-ups during the eumenorrheic stage (51%) compared to the premenarche (23%) and postmenopausal (10%) stages of life.
Conclusions: :
There is a markedly higher prevalence of anterior uveitis in postmenopausal women, but the incidence of uveitis flare-ups is higher during the eumenorrheic stage of life.
Keywords: uveitis-clinical/animal model • autoimmune disease • iris