Abstract Objectives: To establish the associated etiologic factors and complications of active endogenous uveitis in patients of the Colombian Atlantic Coast. Patients and Methods: In a descriptive prospective study; 49 patients (64 eyes) with active uveitis non-associated to previous surgery or trauma were reviewed at the Atlantic Laser Unit Ophthalmologic Centre, the North University Hospital and the Carriazo Ophthalmologic Centre, between February and November 2005. The follow-up period was 1 to 6.5 months (3.75 months average). After completion of directed ocular and physical examinations, routine laboratory and diagnostic imaging examinations were performed. Medical or surgical treatment was recommended when necessary. Results: 25 of 49 patients were females, with an average age of 31.57 (DE+/-: 15.4) years. Ocular and/or systematic disease history was found in 56% of the eyes, while 44% of the cases where diagnosed as idiopathic. The most common etiologies were Toxoplasmosis,
Parsplanitis and Toxocariasis. 17% of diagnosed uveitis were granulomatous and 27% were infectious etiology. Anatomically, panuveitis was the most common form. Complications were identified in 11 eyes (22.9%), most of which were due to TBC, Acute Retinal Necrosis and Sympathetic Ophthalmia. After 3 months follow up, the average of best-corrected visual acuity demonstrated a significant improvement when comparing it with the average of initial visual acuity (p=0.044) Conclusion: The active endogenous uveitis found in the the Atlantic Coast may likely be idiopathic, with chronic course, non-granulomatous and non-infectious panuveitis could be the most common. Ophthalmologist, rheumatologist and immunologist must focus efforts with the purpose of decreasing complications associated to intraocular inflammation. Key words: Uveitis, Ophthalmologic diseases, prevalence
Introducción Las mayores causas de ceguera en el mundo son: la Catarata, el Glaucoma, el Tracoma y la deficiencia de vitamina A. Estas cuatro enfermedades constituyen el 75% del total de los casos de ceguera. Sin embargo, hay variaciones geográficas y económicas asociadas a su desarrollo.1 Entre las causas de perdida visual, en el grupo de edad de 20 a 60 años, encontramos la diabetes (20%), la degeneración tapetorretinal (20%), anomalías congénitas, (20%), la uveítis (10%) y el trauma (5%).2,3 De estas causas, sólo la diabetes y la uveítis son potencialmente tratables.4 La uveítis es una inflamación intraocular potencialmente responsable de ceguera, de
ARTÍCULOS ORIGINALES
los 3 meses de seguimiento, demostró mejoría significativa al compararla con el promedio de agudeza visual inicial (p=0.044). Conclusión: La uveítis endógena activa en la costa Atlántica podría ser más comúnmente idiopática, de curso crónico, no granulomatoso y no infeccioso. La panuveítis podría ser el tipo más común. Oftalmólogos, reumatólogos e inmunólogos debemos dirigir nuestros esfuerzos a disminuir las complicaciones asociadas con la inflamación intraocular. Palabras claves: Uveítis, Enfermedades Oftalmológicas, Prevalencia.
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