Patterns of Uveitis at the Tertiary Eye Care Clinic of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics and the etiology of uveitis in a retrospective series of patients referred to the Tertiary Eye Care Clinic of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical records of all patients who presented to consultation between January 2010 and December 2012. The time of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 4 years. Each patient underwent an ophthalmic and general clinical examination, and an etiological assessment according to the diagnostic hypotheses was carried out. Results: 115 cases of uveitis were diagnosed, giving a prevalence of 0.6% of all diagnoses at the hospital. Men represented 51.3% of patients, with a sex ratio of 1:1. The mean age of the patient at presentation ± SD was 42.4 ± 18.3 years (Range: 8-80 years). At the initial consultation, 53% of patients had visual impairment (VA <6/18). Anterior (50.4%) and posterior (26.1%) uveitis were the most frequent anatomical types of uveitis among patients. The etiology of uveitis could not be determined in 58 patients (50.4%). Uveitis from infectious causes accounted for 44.3% and non-infectious causes 5.2%. During follow-up, 34.8% of patients developed a complication; cataracts (27.8%) and retinal detachment (8.7%) were the most common complications. Conclusion: Infectious causes account for most cases on most studies of uveitis in the Sub-Saharan. Visual impairment and complications are frequent among patients. Limitations in diagnostic techniques and financial resources impose a challenge for etiological diagnosis and patient care.