Ocular sarcoidosis in Thailand.

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence of pulmonary sarcoidosis in patients with uveitis from the University Referral Centre in Thailand and to report on their clinical characteristics.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of results of radiological examinations of 209 consecutive new patients, diagnosed with uveitis. In patients with signs of pulmonary sarcoidosis, we reviewed clinical characteristics including age, gender, laterality and anatomical location of uveitis, and complications.

RESULTS

From 209 chest X-ray (CXR) examinations, one patient exhibited radiological signs typical of stage 1 sarcoidosis. Chest CT of three patients with posterior multifocal chorioretinitis (PMC) revealed abnormalities suggesting the diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis. All PMC patients were females older than 50 years; they had no pulmonary complaints and their CXRs were without abnormalities.

CONCLUSION

Ocular sarcoidosis is prevalent in Thailand and our findings suggest that possibly more patients with sarcoidosis would be identified if diagnosis was thought of and ancillary tests were performed.