ANTERIOR UVEITIS IN PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: ITS RELATION TO CLINICAL FINDINGS OF ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

Background: Acute anterior uveitis is the most frequent extra-articular findings among ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the development of anterior uveitis in patients with AS and its relation to clinical findings of AS.Methods: Seventy seven AS patients, diagnosed according to modified New York criteria, were included in the study.Results: Fourteen (18.2%) patients had anterior uveitis. Nine had unilateral uveitis, five had bilateral uveitis; eight had acute, six had sequelae uveitis. Mean ages and disease durations were significantly greater in AS patients with anterior uveitis than AS patients with no anterior uveitis. Ankylosis of bilateral sacroiliac joints was more frequent in patients with anterior uveitis. The number of AS patients who have taken sulfasalazine were lower among patients with anterior uveitis than patients with no anterior uveitis.Conclusion: This study showed that the anterior uveitis could be more frequently seen in long-standing AS and in patients who have not taken sulfasalazine.References: 1. Scharf J, Nahir M, Scharf J, Brick R, Gidoni O, Barzilai A, Zonis S. Anterior uveitis in ankylosing spondylitis: a histocompatibility study. Ann Ophthalmol. 1979;11(7):1061-22. Tay-Kearney ML, Schwam BL, Lowder C, Dunn JP, Meisler DM, Vitale S, Jabs DA. Clinical features and associated systemic diseases of HLA-B27 uveitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 1996;121(1):47-56.3. Khan MA. Clinical Features of Ankyoling Spondylitis. In Hochberg MC, Silman AJ, Smolen JS, Weinblatt ME, Weisman MH (Eds). Rheumatology. Third ed Mosby 2003 pp1161-11824. van der Linden SM, Rentsch HU, Gerber N, Cats A, Valkenburg HA. The association between ankylosing spondylitis, acute anterior uveitis and HLA-B27: the results of a Swiss family study. Br J Rheumatol. 1988;27 Suppl 2:39-41.5. Benitez-Del-Castillo JM, Garcia-Sanchez J, Iradier T, Banares A.Sulfasalazine in the prevention of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis. Eye. 2000;14 (Pt 3A):340-3.6. Dougados M, Berenbaum F, Maetzel A, Amor B Prevention of acute anterior uveitis associated with spondylarthropathy induced by salazosulfapyridine Rev Rhum Ed Fr. 1993;60(1):81-3.7. Huang JL, Hung IJ, Hsieh KH. Sulphasalazine therapy in chronic uveitis of children with chronic arthritis. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol 1997, 15(2):71-58. Haslock I. Ankylosing Spondylitis: management. In Hochberg MC, Silman AJ, Smolen JS, Weinblatt ME, Weisman MH (Eds). Rheumatology. Third ed Mosby 2003 pp1211-12249. Kabasakal Y Spondilartropatiler. (Gümüşdiş G, Doğanavşargil D ed) Klinik Romatoloji Deniz Matbaası Istanbul 1999 ss:441-465Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 64, supplement III, year 2005, page 340Session: Spondylarthropathies including psoriatic arthritis