Pattern of uveitis in a referral centre in Tunisia, North Africa

doi:doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6702111

Eye (2007) 21, 33–39. doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6702111; published online 17 February 2006

Pattern of uveitis in a referral centre in Tunisia, North Africa

No financial interest

Presented in part at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting (Orlando, 2002)

M Khairallah¹, S Ben Yahia¹, A Ladjimi¹, R Messaoud¹, S Zaouali¹, S Attia¹, S Jenzeri¹ and B Jelliti¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir, Tunisia

Correspondence: M Khairallah, Department of Ophthalmology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir 5019, Tunisia. Tel: +216 73 461 144; Fax: +216 73 460 678; E-mail: moncef.khairallah@rns.tn

Received 18 June 2005; Accepted 14 August 2005; Published online 17 February 2006.

Top

Abstract

Aim

To analyse the pattern of uveitis in a referral centre in Tunisia, North Africa.

Methods

The study included 472 patients with uveitis examined at the Department of Ophthalmology of Monastir (Tunisia) from January 1992 to August 2003. All patients had a comprehensive ocular and systemic history, including an extensive review of medical systems. Complete ophthalmic examination was performed in all cases, including best-corrected Snellen visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, applanation tonometry, and dilated fundus examination with three-mirror lens. Standard diagnostic criteria were employed for all syndromes or entities of uveitis.

Results

The mean age at onset of uveitis was 34 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1 : 1.1. Uveitis was unilateral in 282 patients (59.7%) and bilateral in 190 patients (40.3%). Anterior uveitis was most common (166 patients; 35.2%), followed by posterior uveitis (133 patients; 28.2%), panuveitis (100 patients; 21.2%), and intermediate uveitis (73 patients; 15.5%). A specific diagnosis was found in 306 patients (64.8%). The most common cause of anterior uveitis was herpetic uveitis (56 patients; 33.7%). Toxoplasmosis was the most frequent cause of posterior uveitis (51 patients; 38.3%). Intermediate uveitis was most commonly idiopathic (63 patients; 86.3%). Behçet's disease was the most common cause of panuveitis (36 patients; 36%), followed by Vogt–Koyanagi—Harada (VKH) disease (15 patients; 15%). A total of 16 patients (3.4%) suffered from blindness, and 59 (12.5%) from uniocular blindness.

Conclusions

In a hospital population in Tunisia, the most common causes of uveitis were Behçet's disease, herpes simplex infection, toxoplasmosis, and VKH disease.