Clinical signs of uveitis associated with latent tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND

To identify the clinical ocular signs of uveitis associated with latent tuberculosis.

DESIGN

Retrospective case-control study.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive patients from Singapore National Eye Centre Uveitis over 9 years. Sixty-two patients with uveitis associated with latent tuberculosis were compared with 72 matched controls diagnosed with other known uveitides.

METHODS

Patients were categorized as: (A) predominantly anterior segment inflammation (anterior uveitides) and (B) predominantly posterior segment inflammation (intermediate, posterior or pan-uveitides). The diagnostic performance of combining these clinical signs with investigations such as interferon-gamma release assay positivity and chest X-ray results suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis was done using area under the receiver operator characteristic curve.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Sensitivity, specificity and likelihood of association with tuberculosis of various clinical signs.

RESULTS

Extensive posterior synechiae and concomitant anterior scleritis in Group A; low-grade anterior chamber activity, retinal phlebitis and severe vitritis in Group B were significantly associated with latent tuberculosis. Combining these clinical signs with a positive interferon-gamma release assay and tuberculin skin test improved the diagnostic performance in both groups (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for Group A = 0.779; Group B = 0.789).

CONCLUSION

Patients with a combination of suggestive clinical signs with positive interferon-gamma release assay and tuberculin skin test are more likely to be accurately diagnosed with uveitis associated with latent tuberculosis, which responds to anti-tuberculosis therapy.