Clinical studies of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease

We evaluated the clinical statistics of a total of 186 patients (101 men and 85 women) with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's disease seen in the Uveitis Survey Clinic of the Hokkaido University Hospital during the 18-year period from 1966 to 1983. The annual number of new cases showed some change. More new patients were seen in the spring and late autumn. Clinical examination at the first visit concerning ocular symptoms showed inflammatory cells in the anterior chamber in 56%, papilledema in 87%, and serous retinal detachment and/or retinal edema in 93% of the cases. During the course of the disease, 64% of the cases showed depigmentation of the ocular fundus, and 85% showed perilimbal vitiligo (Sugiura's sign). In addition, the clinical examinations concerning extraocular symptoms showed pleocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid in 84%, dysacousia in 74%, and scalp supersensitivity on touching the hair in 72% of the cases. Visual prognosis was generally favorable, but the final visual acuity in this disease was significantly affected by ocular complications, initial visual acuity, and the age at onset.