Prevalence and Incidence of Uveitis in Korean Patients with Sarcoidosis: A Population-Based Study

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease with varying clinical presentations, including sarcoid uveitis, which is the most prevalent ocular manifestation of sarcoidosis and differs by region and ethnicity. This study aims to determine the incidence and prevalence of sarcoidosis-related uveitis in South Korea, providing essential epidemiological data.

This nationwide, population-based retrospective study used the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database from 2010 to 2019. It included all individuals diagnosed with sarcoidosis (ICD-10 code D86) and focused on those with newly developed uveitis. We assessed annual incidence, prevalence, gender-specific trends, age at diagnosis, treatment patterns, and recurrence. Cases were categorized as single episode or recurrent/chronic based on treatment duration and interval before recurrence.

Among 9,485 patients with sarcoidosis, 2,730 (28.8%) had sarcoidosis-related uveitis, with 2,413 (88.4%) being recurrent/chronic. Anterior uveitis was the most common presentation (78.0%), with posterior segment in/civolvement in 22.0% of cases. The peak age of onset was 50-59 years for both genders. The incidence rate was 0.33 and 0.64 per 100,000 for men and women, respectively. The prevalence was 0.18 and 0.35 per 100,000 for men and women, respectively. Among sarcoidosis patients, 32.9% with uveitis used three or more combinations of systemic steroids and immunosuppressants, compared to 11.1% without uveitis.

The high prevalence of sarcoid uveitis in sarcoidosis patients necessitates regular ophthalmic examinations. Our findings highlight the need for comprehensive eye care in managing sarcoidosis and suggest that uveitis may increase disease severity, warranting tailored treatment and enhanced monitoring protocols in Korea.