[Uveitis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis]

Objective: Anterior uveitis is one of the most important extra-articular manifestations of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The objective was to analyze the frequency of uveitis in patients with JIA and to describe its clinical and evolutive characteristics.

Patients And Method: Among the 234 children diagnosed with JIA in our hospital, those presenting uveitis were studied.

Results: Seventeen children, 16 girls and 1 boy, presented uveitis in 28 eyes, representing a prevalence of 7.3%. Among patients with pauci- or oligo-articular forms of the disease, the percentage increased to 13.3%; polyarticular forms accounted for 10%. Only one of the 12 patients with psoriatic arthritis developed uveitis. Mean age at diagnosis of the ocular condition was 4.5 years and the interval between diagnosis of arthritis to detection of uveitis was 661.5 months. In two patients uveitis was diagnosed before arthritis. Thirty-seven episodes of uveitic activity were identified, of which 27 were asymptomatic. Fifty-three percent of the affected eyes developed complications (posterior synechias in 43%, cataracts in 25%, in-band keratopathy in 18% and glaucoma in 7%). Surgery was required in six eyes. A marked loss of vision occurred in four eyes, despite ophthalmologic treatment. Conclusions Anterior uveitis is a cause of morbidity in JIA. Periodic ophthalmologic explorations are essential for early diagnosis and treatment.