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Epidemiologic Study of Pediatric Uveitis and its Ophthalmic Complications Using the Korean National Health Insurance
Eun Hee Hong1, Jiyeong Kim2, Min Ho Kang3
1From the Department of Ophthalmology (E.H.H., M.H.K., Y.U.S.), Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (E.H.H., Y.U.S.), Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
Insights
Pediatric uveitis affects 2.0 per 10,000 children in South Korea. Nonanterior uveitis significantly increases the risk of serious ophthalmic complications like glaucoma and retinal detachment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Pediatric uveitis is a significant cause of vision loss in children.
- Understanding its incidence and complications is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and ophthalmic complications of pediatric uveitis.
- To analyze risk factors associated with uveitis in children using national health data.
Main Methods:
- Nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance database (2005-2021).
- Included children (<18 years) diagnosed with uveitis between 2010-2014, with follow-up for ophthalmic complications.
- Classified uveitis as anterior or nonanterior; analyzed incidence, complications, and hazard ratios.
Main Results:
- Identified 9495 pediatric uveitis cases (2.0/10,000 children annual incidence).
- Most common complications: glaucoma/ocular hypertension, macular disease, amblyopia.
- Nonanterior uveitis showed higher risk for retinal detachment, cataract, amblyopia, and glaucoma.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of pediatric uveitis in South Korea is 2.0 per 10,000 children.
- Nonanterior uveitis is associated with a substantially higher risk of severe ophthalmic complications.
Purpose:
To investigate the incidence and ophthalmic complications of pediatric uveitis using the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) Service database.
Design:
Nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study.
Methods:
This study used the NHI database from 2005 to 2021 and included individuals <18 years of age diagnosed with uveitis on at least three separate visits between 2010 and 2014, with a five-year wash-out period and a seven-year follow-up period. All uveitis cases were classified as either anterior or nonanterior on the basis of the diagnostic code. The occurrence of ophthalmic complications during the follow-up period, and the systemic and socioeconomic associations between pediatric uveitis and its ophthalmic complications were investigated. We obtained the incidence of total, anterior, and nonanterior pediatric uveitis between 2010 and 2014; the percentage of ophthalmic complications during the follow-up period; and hazard ratios for ophthalmic complications of anterior and nonanterior uveitis.
Results:
A total of 9495 cases of pediatric uveitis (8734 cases with anterior and 761 with nonanterior uveitis) were identified, with an average annual incidence (per 10 000 children) of total, anterior, and nonanterior uveitis being 2.0, 1.8, and 0.2, respectively. The most common complications were glaucoma or presumed ocular hypertension, macular disease, and amblyopia. Patients with nonanterior uveitis had a significantly higher risk of ophthalmic complications including retinal detachment, cataract, amblyopia, and glaucoma or presumed ocular hypertension than those with anterior uveitis.
Conclusions:
This nationwide analysis of pediatric uveitis in South Korea revealed an average incidence of 2.0 per 10 000 children, highlighting the higher risks of ophthalmic complications associated with nonanterior uveitis.
