Seasonal Patterns of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada Disease

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose To identify the relationship between the incidence of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease and seasonality. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed, including patients with a confirmed diagnosis of VKH whose month of disease onset was available. Information on patients was entered retrospectively into a database and analyzed according to the month and season. Results Twenty-four patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. There was a statistically significant deviation from expected values in the incidences of VKH per season (P = .043). The most common season for the onset of VKH was fall, with 50% of the patients presenting in this season, while spring was the least common season for VKH presentation, with 12.5% of the patients presenting in this season. Conclusion Our study suggests that the onset of VKH in Puerto Rico follows a seasonal pattern, with most cases occurring during the fall.