Prevalence of the Spondyloarthritides in Patients with Uveitis

ROLAND LINDER, AXEL HOFFMANN, and RICHARD BRUNNER

ABSTRACT.

Objective. To determine the prevalence of the spondyloarthritides in patients with uveitis and to establish criteria for certain subtypes of this group of diseases.

Methods. In a university-based prospective study, we examined 433 patients with different types of uveitis for signs of spondyloarthritides as defined by the classification criteria of the European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG).

Results. Forty-four of the 433 uveitis patients (36 with acute anterior uveitis and 8 with other types of uveitis) had spondyloarthritis according to the ESSG classification criteria. Nineteen of these 44 patients had ankylosing spondylitis (AS), 11 had undifferentiated spondyloarthritis, 9 reactive arthritis, and 5 psoriatic arthritis.

Conclusion. Uveitis is associated not only with AS and reactive arthritis, but also with undifferentiated spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The ESSG criteria are helpful in identifying these spondyloarthritides in uveitis patients. (J Rheumatol 2004;31:2226-9)

Key Indexing Terms:

SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
UVEITIS

---

From the Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck; Praxisklinik RingColonnaden; University of Cologne Medical School, Cologne, Germany.

R. Linder, MD, Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Lübeck; A. Hoffmann, MD, Praxisklinik RingColonnaden; R. Brunner, MD, Professor, Clinic of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne Medical School.

Address reprint requests to Dr. R. Linder, Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany. E-mail: linder@imi.uni-luebeck.de

Submitted December 16, 2003; revision accepted June 30, 2004.

---