Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in Spain

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease in Spain.

Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter analysis of data from VKH patients followed for at least 6 months. The data collected were related to demographics, clinical manifestations, treatments, and complications.

Results: Participants were 112 patients (224 eyes), from 13 tertiary referral centers, of mean age 37.5 ± 14.7 years; 83.9% were women. Ethnicities were 61.6% Caucasian and 30.4% Hispanic. The disease was classified as complete in 16.1%, incomplete in 55.4%, and probable in 28.6%. When seen for the first time, the clinical course was acute in 69.6%, recurrent chronic in 15.2%, and chronic in 14.3%. The most frequent treatment was corticosteroids (acute stage 42.2%, maintenance stage 55.6%). The most common complications were cataract (41.1%) and ocular hypertension (16.1%). In most eyes, visual acuity was improved (96.7%) or remained stable at the end of follow up.

Conclusion: VKH in Spain mostly affects women and presents as incomplete acute stage disease. Visual prognosis is good. Cataract and glaucoma are the two most frequent complications.

Keywords: Uveitis; Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada; complications; prevalence.