Uveitis in São Paulo, Brazil: 1053 New Patients in 15 Months

To describe the clinical profile of uveitis and analyze changes over a 34-year period in the frequency of different entities and demographics, anatomic data, diagnoses, and systemic associations in São Paulo, Brazil.

A total of 1053 consecutive patients who presented for the first time at the outpatient uveitis clinic were analyzed in a prospective, observational study, conducted between July 2012 and September 2013. Age, gender, clinical characteristics, visual acuity, and clinical and etiologic diagnoses in patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were studied.

Mean age was 39.8 ± 17.8 years (56.8% female), with most between 41 and 64 years (41.79%); 10.9% of the patients were HIV-positive and 8.1% were legally blind (best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA): ≤ 20/400) at the first evaluation. The posterior, bilateral, and chronic forms of uveitis occurred most frequently and toxoplasmosis was the main cause (24.03%) but was less frequent than in 1980; the same was true for Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis. Syphilis, tuberculosis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis had increased incidence rates.

The current results can help determine the present epidemiology of uveitis and its changes over time in Brazil and increases essential information about the disease. Many uveitic entities are curable and visual damage can be prevented or limited if treated early and appropriately.