Characteristics of endogenous uveitis in Hokkaido, Japan.

BACKGROUND

Etiological characteristics of endogenous uveitis vary around the world. There are few epidemiological reports on the etiology of uveitis from areas within Asia. We set out to examine the statistical data on uveitis in Japan.

METHODS

We reviewed all the records of patients with endogenous uveitis who visited the Uveitis Survey Clinic of Hokkaido University Hospital in 1981 and 1994 and extended the survey to include new patients with uveitis seen over the past 3 years.

RESULTS

Behçet's disease, sarcoidosis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease were the three most frequently diagnosed diseases in patients with endogenous uveitis in both 1981 and and 1994. The proportion of patients with unclassified disease entities decreased (from 38% to 30%) during the 13-year period from 1981 to 1994 as a result of the new disease categories established during this interval. Notable additions included human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated uveitis and tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. Sarcoidosis is now the most frequent cause of endogenous uveitis in our clinic.

CONCLUSION

Not only does the etiological basis of uveitis vary with ethnicity, but advances in clinical and basic research have changed the approach to the diagnosis of uveitis, altering the etiological profile over time.