Comparison of idiopathic and secondary uveitis patients seen in a dual pediatric rheumatology-ophthalmology clinic

Purpose Uveitis is an intraocular inflammatory disease that accounts for 10-15% of all cases of total blindness in the U.S. Although uveitis is more prevalent in adults, children comprise approximately 5% of the uveitis population. The most common etiologies of childhood uveitis are idiopathic, infectious, and rheumatologic. Idiopathic uveitis is the most common cause of pediatric uveitis, while uveitis associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common secondary cause. In 2005, the physicians of Children’s Mercy’s Hospital created a dual Pediatric Rheumatology and Ophthalmology uveitis clinic for patients with ocular inflammation requiring systemic immunosuppressant therapy. An ophthalmologist and rheumatologist jointly evaluate each patient, and formulate a comprehensive plan with the patient and family. To our knowledge, this is the only pediatric uveitis clinic in the U.S. staffed by the two subspecialties simultaneously. The aim of this study was to determine if the characteristics of ocular involvement differ between severe Idiopathic uveitis (IU) and Secondary uveitis (SU).