The clinical characteristics of the uveitis patients applying to our clinic

Aim: To present the demographic and clinical characteristics of uveitis patients treated and followed in our clinic. Material method: The hospital archive files of all uveitis patients who were followed up in the Uvea-Behçet Unit of Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology between 1997-2020 were retrospectively analyzed. In this context, a total of 450 uveitis patients whose file records did not lack in terms of meeting the study criteria were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, clinical examination findings, etiological research results, treatment modalities and final status were investigated during the file scans. Results: Of the uveitis patients included in the study, 56.2% (n=253) were female and 43.8% (n=197) were male. The mean age of the patients was 35.85±16.79 (3 – 91). The most common complaint of the patients was decreased vision with a rate of 84.9% (n=382). Idiopathic uveitis was the most common type of uveitis with a rate of 23.5% (n=106). Anatomically, the most common site of involvement was the anterior section with a rate of 57,3% (n=258). During the follow-up, the most frequently applied treatment was topical steroid treatment with 78.4% (n=353). Glaucoma developed as a complication of uveitis in 13.8% (n=62) of the patients. When the final status of the patients was examined, it was seen that 63% (n=284) were cured, 34.9% (n=157) were followed under control with treatment, and 2% (n=9) patients did not respond to the treatments. Conclusion: Uveitis is one of the most important causes of vision loss. The incidence, type, demographic and clinical characteristics of the affected population may differ between regions. In this respect, it would be clinically beneficial for different centers to investigate the data of uveitis patients followed in their routine practices. In this study, demographic and clinical characteristics of uveitis patients belonging to our region were revealed.