The levels of serum anti-carbonic anhydrase i-ii antibodies in active and full remission period of patients with uveitis

Purpose: To research the role of autoantibodies against Carbonic Anhydrase I and II (CA-I and II) in the etiopathogenesis of uveitis and the importance of these autoantibodies in the diagnosis and follow-up of uveitis.Material and Method: This study was carried out at Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology from January 2009 to June 2010. Sixty-four patients with active uveitis and 43 healthy controls were included in this study. Serum autoantibody levels against CA-I and II were measured at first examination in all participant. The measurements were then repeated in uveitis group at the time that all clinical signs were disappeared.Results: Mean age of the uveitis group (28 female (%43,8), 36 male(%56,2) was 40.03±10.23(14-68). Mean CA-I autoantibody levels of the healthy control group was 0.2671±0.1434 ABSU. Mean CA-I autoantibody levels of uveitis group was 0.4078±0.2870 at the first examination and 0.3300±0.2326 at the last session. While the mean CA-II autoantibody levels of the healthy control group was 0.2735±0.1131 ABSU, these levels were 0.3632±0.2604 at the first examination and 0.3849±0.2068 at the last session in the uveitis group. It was seen that pretreatment CA-I and CA-II autoantibody levels of the patients were statistically significantly higher compared to the control group. At the last session that all clinical findings were disappeared, CA-II antibody levels of uveitis group were statistically significantly higher compared to control group, however, there was no significantly difference between two groups for CA-I antibody levels. It was seen that the change of CA-I and CA-II autoantibody levels by treatment was not statistically significant in the uveitis group.Conclusion: It is concluded that autoantibody levels against CA-I and CA-II enzymes are significantly higher in patients with active uveitis compared to healthy control group in this study. These findings warrant further long term comprehensive studies for a more conclusive statement on the subject.