Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Presumed Ocular Tuberculosis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Ocular tuberculosis (TB) presents diagnostic challenges due to subtle or absent extraocular signs.
• The clinical spectrum of ocular TB is broad, often mimicking other inflammatory eye conditions.
• Early identification of prognostic factors is essential for managing visual outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the clinical characteristics of patients with presumed ocular TB.
• To identify factors predicting visual outcomes and complications in ocular TB.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of 35 patients with presumed ocular TB.
• Data collected included clinical features, visual acuity, disease duration, and treatment.
• Statistical analysis involved Spearman's rank correlation and binary logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Anterior, non-granulomatous uveitis was most common; few patients had respiratory symptoms or abnormal chest X-rays.
• Longer symptom duration correlated with worse visual acuity (low vision, legal blindness) and increased cataract risk.
• Older age was a risk factor for legal blindness; no factors predicted macular lesions.

Conclusions:

• Ocular TB diagnosis can be delayed due to nonspecific symptoms and varied ocular manifestations.
• Prolonged symptom duration is a significant predictor of poor visual prognosis and cataract development.
• Emphasizing prompt diagnosis and understanding prognostic indicators are vital for improving patient outcomes.