Patterns of uveitis in a tertiary referral centre in Reggio Emilia (Northern Italy): a comparison with the past to understand the future.
Purpose
To analyse the referral patterns and the clinical and therapeutic features of patients diagnosed with uveitis in a tertiary referral centre to provide a comparison with previously published series from the same centre.
Methods
Retrospective retrieval of data incorporating all new referrals to the Immunology Ocular Unit in Reggio Emilia (Italy) from November 2015 to April 2022.
Results
Among the 1557 patients, the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.27. Anterior uveitis was the most common (53.7%), followed by posterior (21.6%), pan- (18.5%) and intermediate (6.2%) uveitis. The most identifiable specific diagnoses were anterior herpetic uveitis (22.8%), Fuchs uveitis (15.9%) and tuberculosis (7.6%). Infectious aetiologies were the most frequent (34.1%) and were more diffuse among non-Caucasian patients (p<0.001), followed by systemic disease-associated uveitis (26.5%) and ocular-specific conditions (20%). Idiopathic uveitis accounted for 19.4% of cases. Fuchs uveitis presented the longest mean diagnostic delay (97 months). Immunosuppressants were administrated in 25.2% of patients. Antimetabolites, calcineurin inhibitors and biologics were prescribed in 74.6%, 11.6% and 45.3% of cases, respectively. Compared to our previous reports, we observed an increased number of non-Italian patients, a rise in infectious and systemic disease-associated uveitis, a decrease in idiopathic conditions, a growing use of non-biologic drugs and a more diversified use of biologic ones.
Conclusion
The pattern of uveitis appears to be changing, very likely due to migratory flows. Diagnostic improvements are reducing the incidence of idiopathic uveitis.
Conflict of interest
No
Authors 1
Last name
GENTILE
Initials of first name(s)
P.
Department
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY UNIT-AZIENDA USL-IRCCS DI REGGIO EMILIA
City
REGGIO EMILIA
Country
Italy
Authors 2
Last name
BOLLETTA
Initials of first name(s)
E.
Department
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY UNIT-AZIENDA USL-IRCCS DI REGGIO EMILIA
City
REGGIO EMILIA
Country
Italy
Authors 3
Last name
DE SIMONE
Initials of first name(s)
L.
Department
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY UNIT-AZIENDA USL-IRCCS DI REGGIO EMILIA
City
REGGIO EMILIA
Country
Italy
Authors 4
Last name
GOZZI
Initials of first name(s)
F.
Department
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY UNIT-AZIENDA USL-IRCCS DI REGGIO EMILIA
City
REGGIO EMILIA
Country
Italy
Authors 5
Last name
CIMINO
Initials of first name(s)
L.
Department
OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY UNIT-AZIENDA USL-IRCCS DI REGGIO EMILIA
City
REGGIO EMILIA
Country
Italy
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