[Analysis of 29 cases of scleritis. Experience of a Rheumato-Ophthalmology Service]

Abstract

Scleritis are entities that may have rheumatic diseases, infections or tumors as etiologic factors or may be a disease restricted only to the eye.

Purpose: To share a three year experience of a rheumato-ophthalmologic ambulatory in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with scleritis.

Methods: This was a study of 29 cases. All of them were analyzed by the Ophthalmology and Rheumatology Services.

Results: From the 29 cases, an underlying disease was found in 55.17%. Rheumatic diseases were present in 34.4%; infectious in 20.6%. Idiophatic forms of scleritis did not differ from the rheumatic ones although a higher number of necrotizing cases were seen in the later group (with no statistical significance). Scleritis due to rheumatic diseases was treated more frequently with oral corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.

Conclusions: Patients with scleritis have a high rate of infectious and rheumatic diseases. Cooperation of rheumatologists and ophthalmologists was useful for the etiologic identification of patients with scleritis.