Patterns of uveitis in a referral eye care center in Milan, North Italy.

Purpose: To report the prevalence of different uveitis entities in a referral center in North Italy and to analyze the various clinical and therapeutichal characteristics of these patients. Methods: A retrospective review of 725 cases of uveitis (430 F, 295M) seen in the Ocular Immunology Center of the University Hospital San Raffaele in Milan from 1997 to 2003 was performed. The parameters evaluated were: epidemiological data of patients (sex, race, age at presentation of uveitis ), anatomical location of the uveitis, etiology and association with systemic diseases, ocular condition, treatment received and ocular complications. Results: The mean age at onset of uveitis was 42.5 years; the male–female ratio was 1:1.8. All patients were white Caucasian. Anterior ueitis was the most common type (48.3%) followed by posterior uveitis (19.5%), panuveitis (17.2%), intermediate uveitis (15%). The most common cause of anterior uveitis was herpes uveitis (33.9%). Behcet disease , sarcoidosis and toxoplasmosis were the most common causes of panuveitis (45%) and posterior uveitis (43.6%). Intermediate uveitis was most commonly idiopathic (73%). The most common ocular complications encountered were: glaucoma (37%), cataract (35%), cystoid macular edema (33%), epiretinal membrane (12%). Conclusion: These data may help our approach to diagnosis and management of anterior, posterior and panuveitis at Ocular Immunology Center of the University Hospital San Raffaele in Milan