Pattern of uveitis in a tertiary eye care hospital in hilly area of North India

Aim: Pattern of uveitis in a tertiary eye care centre in Hilly area of North India. Materials and Methods: All new cases of uveitis seen in Out Patient Department (OPD) and In Patient Department (IPD) of department of Ophthalmology from June 2017 to May 2019 were consecutively enrolled in the study. After taking a complete history of systemic and ocular diseases, all patients underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination including determination of Snellen visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy, applanation tonometry and dilated posterior segment examination. Patients were classified according to International Uveitis Study Group (IUSG) definitions. Results: A total of 89 patients diagnosed with uveitis with mean age of onset 35 ± 15.16 years. Male patients were 47 (52.80%) with mean age of 32 ± 15.56, and female patients were 42 (47.19%) with mean age of 38 ± 15.05. Follow-up duration varied from 4 months to 18 months. Uveitis was unilateral in 78 patients (87.64%) and bilateral in 11 patients (12.36%). The clinical course acute in 42 patients (47.19%) and chronic in 47 patients (52.81%). The uveitis was granulomatous in 12 patients (13.48%) and non-granulomatous in 77 patients (86.51%) . Anterior uveitis (iritis and iridocyclitis) was most common type of inflammation (41 patients, 46.07%), followed by (Retinitis or Retinochoroiditis) posterior uveitis (23 patients, 25.84%), panuveitis (13 patients, 14.61%) and least common intermediate uveitis (12 patients, 13.48%). HLA-B27 negative was most common type of anterior uveitis (20 patients, 22.47%) . In cases of posterior uveitis, panuveitis and intermediate uveitis (Cyclitis), idiopathic uveitis was most common. Uveitis was infectious in 10 patients (11.24%), non-infectious in 78 patients (87.64%). Hence, non-granulomatous and non-infectious uveitis was most common. In intermediate uveitis, all cases were idiopathic. Uveitis with diagnosis was herpetic (five cases), toxoplasma (two cases), tuberculosis (two cases) and HIV-associated uveitis in one case. Uveitis with specific ocular disease most common was serpiginous choroiditis (four cases), Fuchs' heterochromatic uveitis (FHU) (three cases), VKH (two cases) and sympathetic ophthalmitis (two cases). Uveitis with systemic disease non-specific arthropathy (six cases) is followed by ankylosing spondylitis (two cases), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (one case), inflammatory bowel disease (one case), sarcoidosis (one case) and systemic lupus erythromatosus (SLE one case). Conclusion: The most common uveitis in hilly area of North India is anterior uveitis. The most common aetiology is idiopathic in all types of uveitis.