Epidemiology of uveitis in a Western urban multiethnic population. The challenge of globalization

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 93; no. 6; pp. 561 - 567
• Main Authors: Llorenç, Victor, Mesquida, Marina, Sainz de la Maza, Maite, Keller, Johannes, Molins, Blanca, Espinosa, Gerard, Hernandez, María V., Gonzalez‐Martín, Julian, Adán, Alfredo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2015
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; aetiology; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; anatomical pattern; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; epidemiology; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Europe; Female; Global Health; herpes; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Prevalence; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; toxoplasma; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data; uveitis; Uveitis - classification; Uveitis - ethnology; Spain; epidemiology; herpes; Europe; toxoplasma; aetiology; anatomical pattern; uveitis; incidence; Spain
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/aos.12675

Purpose To report the anatomical pattern and etiological spectrum of uveitis in an urban multi‐ethnic population from Barcelona, Spain. General and specific epidemiological data for the most prevalent aetiologies are also calculated. Methods A cross‐sectional study of consecutive uveitis cases was performed between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2012. Exogenous endophthalmitis, surgery‐related, post‐traumatic and toxic uveitis along with masquerade syndromes were excluded. Anatomical (Standard Uveitis Nomenclature criteria) and aetiological patterns (by tailored tests), age, sex, geographical origin and laterality were analysed. Mean incidence and prevalence were calculated for a mid‐period reference population. Results From 1022 patients included, 52% were anterior uveitis (AU), 23% posterior, 15% panuveitis and 9% intermediate uveitis. Aetiologically, 26% were unclassifiable, 29% infectious, 25% associated with systemic immune diseases, and 20% corresponded to ocular‐specific syndromes. Among classified causes, herpesvirus (12%), toxoplasma (7%), Behçet's disease (BD) (5%), HLA‐B27‐isolated AU (5%), ankylosing spondylitis (5%), tuberculosis‐related uveitis (TRU) (5%), birdshot chorioretinopathy (3%) and sarcoidosis (3%) were the most frequent. Non‐Spanish origin was recorded in 22%, with 47% of Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada and 36% of toxoplasma cases coming from South America, 10% of BD and 11% of TRU from Africa and 24% of TRU cases from Asia. A mean annual incidence of 51.91 cases/100 000 inhabitants was found for the referral population. Conclusion In our referral area, 74% of the uveitis cases can be correctly classified. A large myriad of uveitis aetiologies with a strong geographical origin burden are found in Western urban multi‐ethnic populations.