Clinical and Epidemiological Study on Tubercular Uveitis in a Tertiary Eye Care Centre in Italy

M La Cava; A Bruscolini; M Sacchetti; M P Pirraglia; A Moramarco; M Marenco; G Iaiani; G Covelli; T Rizzo; I Abicca; A Lambiase

doi:10.1155/2020/4701820

Clinical and Epidemiological Study on Tubercular Uveitis in a Tertiary Eye Care Centre in Italy

J Ophthalmol. 2020 Mar 14:2020:4701820. doi: 10.1155/2020/4701820. eCollection 2020.

Authors

M La Cava¹, A Bruscolini¹, M Sacchetti¹, M P Pirraglia¹, A Moramarco¹, M Marenco¹, G Iaiani², G Covelli¹, T Rizzo¹, I Abicca¹, A Lambiase¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
² Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe frequency, clinical characteristics, and visual prognosis of tubercular uveitis (TBU) in a nonendemic country.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 3743 charts of patients with endogenous uveitis visited from 2008 to 2018 at a tertiary referral centre in Rome, Italy. We included immunocompetent patients with diagnosis of TBU. Patients were divided in two groups: patients with history of uveitis without a previous diagnosis of TBU (group A) and patients at their first episode of TB uveitis (group B).

Results: TBU was diagnosed in 28 (0.75%) out of 3743 patients. Twelve (42.9%) patients came from tuberculosis endemic areas. All patients received specific antitubercular treatment (ATT) and were evaluated for a mean follow-up of 3.2 ± 2.9 years. Group A showed a greater number of ocular complications when compared with group B. ATT was effective in reducing the frequency of recurrences of uveitis in patients of group B.

Conclusion: Intraocular inflammation can be the first manifestation of tuberculosis. Our data highlight that early diagnosis and specific treatment of TBU may allow to decrease recurrences and to improve visual outcomes.