Ab0713 frequency of tuberculosis and associated risk factors in patients with behçet’s syndrome

Background A considerable number of patients with Behçet’s syndrome (BS) have vitreous cells on slit lamp examination at the time of diagnosis. However, the prognostic importance of vitreous cells (VC) and their association with the development of posterior uveitis (PU) requiring immunosuppressive treatment is unknown. Objectives We aimed to determine the prognostic importance of VU in BS patients. Methods The charts of 572 consecutive BS patients fulfilling ISG criteria who were registered between 2010 and 2012 were reviewed. At baseline visit 164 patients had VC in one eye or both eyes. Among the remaining patients, 229 had no eye involvement, 116 patients had bilateral pan or posterior uveitis, 14 had unilateral pan or posterior uveitis and no eye involvement in the other eye, 20 had isolated anterior uveitis, and 29 had insufficient data in their medical records. Among the 164 patients with VC, 110 patients with a follow-up of ≥2 years were included in this study (Figure 1). Results At baseline, among the 111 included patients (68 men, mean ± SD age: 31±9 years), 61 had VC in both eyes, 34 had VC in only one eye, and 15 had VC in one eye and PU in the other eye. There was anterior uveitis (AU) in addition to VC in the same eye in 13 patients at baseline (Figure 1). New PU developed in 26 (24%) patients during a mean follow-up of 1.9±1.1 years.7 patients that developed PU in the eye with VC had had PU in the contralateral eye at baseline. This means 7 of 15 patients with VC in one eye and PU in the contralateral eye developed bilateral PU despite treatment. 2 of these 7 patients had developed AU before they developed PU. Additionally, 6 patients that developed PU in the eye with VC had anterior uveitis in the same eye at baseline. Conclusion Careful follow-up is required for patients with VC since one quarter developed PU within 2 years. The presence of PU in the contralateral eye and AU in the same eye may be risk factors for the development of PU in patients with VC. Figure 1. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests None Declared.