The Spectrum of Uveitis in Southern Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the pattern of uveitis among Vietnamese at two eye hospitals in Southern Vietnam.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 212 consecutive uveitis cases that presented to two eye hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from July 2011 to February 2015. The patients were identified from a database maintained by the hospitals. Patients with keratitis, episcleritis, orbital inflammation, post-surgical endophthalmitis, traumatic iritis, and corneal graft rejection were excluded. Data collected included demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings.

Results: Uveitis was seen most commonly in the 21-60-year-old age group. Gender distribution was not significantly different among the various age groups. Anterior uveitis was the most common (46%), followed by posterior uveitis (22%), panuveitis (18%), and intermediate uveitis (14%). Infectious etiologies were observed in 27%. Idiopathic uveitis (36%) was the most common non-infectious uveitis, followed by Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (14%) and Behçet disease (7%). Tuberculous uveitis was the most common infectious etiology (9%), followed by toxocariasis (6%) and herpetic uveitis (6%), and cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis (4%).

Conclusions: In southern Vietnam, infectious uveitis, such as tuberculosis, toxocariasis, and herpetic infection, are common but toxoplasmosis is rare. Idiopathic uveitis, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, and Behçet disease are the most common non-infectious uveitis, with a notable absence of birdshot retinochoroidopathy.

Keywords: Behçet; Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada; epidemiology; toxocariasis; tuberculosis; uveitis.