OBJECTIVE: To analyze patient characteristics and correlate between the site and severity of the inflammation and ocular and/or systemic disease association in a cohort of patients with episcleritis. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Medical records of 100 patients with episcleritis were reviewed. Data were analyzed using a customized database software. RESULTS: The age range at presentation was 18 to 76 years (mean, 43; median, 44). Sixty-nine percent of the patients were female. Thirty-two (32%) patients had bilateral involvement. The episcleritis was nodular in 23 eyes (16%). Half of the patients had a concurrent eye disease. Associated systemic disease was found in 36 patients (36%). In two patients, episcleritis preceded a systemic vasculitic disease (Wegener granulomatosis and Cogan syndrome). Ocular complications included uveitis (11.4%), corneal involvement (15%), and glaucoma (7.8%). No significant correlation of the site and severity of inflammation to the presence of associated systemic or ocular diseases was found. The mean follow-up was 16.5 months. Twenty-eight patients experienced recurrence of episcleritis during the follow-up. Half of the patients required treatment with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Episcleritis is usually a benign, self-limited disease, but it should not be trivialized since it may be associated with systemic disease and ocular complications. A careful review of systems should be performed in all patients presenting with episcleritis, and this should be repeated at least annually during the follow-up. A thorough eye examination is obviously essential to detect and treat ocular complications.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze patient characteristics and correlate between the site and severity of the inflammation and ocular and/or systemic disease association in a cohort of patients with episcleritis. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Medical records of 100 patients with episcleritis were reviewed. Data were analyzed using a customized database software. RESULTS: The age range at presentation was 18 to 76 years (mean, 43; median, 44). Sixty-nine percent of the patients were female. Thirty-two (32%) patients had bilateral involvement. The episcleritis was nodular in 23 eyes (16%). Half of the patients had a concurrent eye disease. Associated systemic disease was found in 36 patients (36%). In two patients, episcleritis preceded a systemic vasculitic disease (Wegener granulomatosis and Cogan syndrome). Ocular complications included uveitis (11.4%), corneal involvement (15%), and glaucoma (7.8%). No significant correlation of the site and severity of inflammation to the presence of associated systemic or ocular diseases was found. The mean follow-up was 16.5 months. Twenty-eight patients experienced recurrence of episcleritis during the follow-up. Half of the patients required treatment with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS:Episcleritis is usually a benign, self-limited disease, but it should not be trivialized since it may be associated with systemic disease and ocular complications. A careful review of systems should be performed in all patients presenting with episcleritis, and this should be repeated at least annually during the follow-up. A thorough eye examination is obviously essential to detect and treat ocular complications.
Authors: Gelareh Homayounfar; Natalie Nardone; Durga S Borkar; Vivien M Tham; Travis C Porco; Wayne T A Enanoria; John V Parker; Aleli C Vinoya; Aileen Uchida; Nisha R Acharya Journal: Am J Ophthalmol Date: 2013-07-24 Impact factor: 5.258
Authors: Manjeet S Bhamra; Irfan Gondal; Abhimanyu Amarnani; Saul Betesh; Angelina Zhyvotovska; Wayne Scott; Milena Rodriguez-Alvarez; Douglas R Lazzaro; Isabel M McFarlane Journal: Int J Clin Res Trials Date: 2019-11-09