Objective:
To provide population-based evidence on the incidence, distribution, and disease characteristics of childhood onset noninfectious uveitis in the U.K.
Approach:
- Study Design: A national cohort study analyzing newly diagnosed cases of noninfectious uveitis in U.K. residents under 18 from March 2020 to February 2023.
- Data Collection: Clinical and demographic data were collected through the Paediatric Ocular Inflammation Group and stored in a centralized REDCap database.
Key Findings:
- The national minimum annual incidence of childhood noninfectious uveitis was 1.89 per 100,000 children.
- Incidence was highest in London (3.13/100,000) and lowest in the northeast of England (1/100,000).
- Children in the most deprived areas had a relative risk of 1.57 for disease.
- Non-White ethnic groups were overrepresented relative to the U.K. population.
- JIA-associated uveitis was lower than anticipated, with only 14.5% of patients having JIA.
- Approximately half of patients (52.2%) were female, and median patient age was 10.1 years.
- Patients’ ages showed a bimodal distribution with peaks at ages 4 to 7 and 11 to 15.
- Most (76.9%) patients had anterior uveitis, with 7.2% having intermediate uveitis, 6.3% panuveitis, and 1.8% posterior uveitis.
- Sixty-five percent of patients had bilateral disease.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
- The study may not fully capture the incidence of JIA-related uveitis due to potential delays in diagnosis.
- The findings may not be generalizable beyond the U.K. population.
Conclusion:
Sources:
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