Abstract
Purpose :
The causes of uveitis in children may vary from one geographical region to another and may be influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The main objective of this retrospective study was to determine the causes of uveitis in children at two referral centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Methods :
The medical records of 118 children with uveitis aged 16 years or less from The Eye Center and Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed retrospectively. Each patient underwent complete ophthalmic examination and medical evaluation at one of the two centers. Laboratory investigations and imaging were done as indicated. The study was approved by the Institution Review Board/ Research Council in both centers.
Results :
There were 72 females and 46 males included in the study. The mean age was 11.5 years (age range: 2 to 16 years). Anterior uveitis was seen in 71 (60.2%) cases, followed by intermediate uveitis in 21 (17.8%) cases, panuveitis in 17 (14.4%) cases, and posterior uveitis in 9 (7.6%) cases. Infectious causes were identified in 17 (14.4%) cases, of which Herpes simplex virus was the most common, and was seen in 8 (6.8%) cases. Non-infectious etiologies were implicated in 101 (85.6%) cases. Anterior uveitis of undetermined etiology was the most common cause of uveitis and was seen in 40 (33.9%) cases. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis was the most common systemic association and was seen in 13 (11%) cases, followed by Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in 12 (10.2%) cases.
Conclusions :
Anterior uveitis of undetermined etiology remains the most common cause of uveitis in children in Saudi Arabia. The most common associated systemic diseases in our pediatric population are Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. Herpetic uveitis was the most common cause of infectious uveitis among children, and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis was the most common cause of non-infectious uveitis.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.