Posters

Predictive factors for glaucoma during Behçet's disease

Poster Details

First Author: K.Belkhadir MOROCCO

Co Author(s):    N. Boutimzine   A. Amazouzi   M. Laghmari   S. Tachfouti   R. Daoudi   O. Cherkaoui     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Behçet's disease is an idiopathic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by intraocular inflammation, multiple skin involvement and many other visceral disorders. Intraocular inflammation may be anterior, posterior or total, usually bilateral immediately or secondarily. Classically, uveitis in Behçet's disease is not a source of ocular hypertension. However, the latter can be found in almost 14% of cases, secondary to trabeculitis, trabecular blockage by inflammatory cells, anterior or posterior synechiae, or induced by prolonged use of corticosteroids. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive factors for glaucoma during Behçet's disease.

Setting:

Ophthalmology Unit A, Hospital des Spécialités, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco

Methods:

This is a retrospective study, including all consecutive patients diagnosed with Behçet's disease over a 7 years period, in the Ophthalmology A department of the Rabat Specialties Hospital in morocco. Predictive factors for glaucoma during Behçet's disease were analysed using Chi2 or Fischer test as appropriate.

Results:

Fifty patients were treated for Behçet's disease during the study period. They were 42 men (84%), and 8 women (16%), with a mean age of 30 years at diagnosis. Glaucoma occured in 11 patients (22%). It was statistically associated with low initial visual acuity (less than 1/10th) (p = 0.001), severe posterior segment involvement, including retinal vasculitis (29% vs 6%, p = 0.04). ), macular edema (40% vs. 4%, p = 0.001), and papilledema (50% vs. 15%, p = 0.02). The high number of recurrences was also associated with the occurrence of secondary glaucoma (1.0 vs 3.0, p <0.0005).

Conclusions:

Glaucoma complicated the management of 22% of our patients with Behçet's disease. Our study showed that it occurred preferentially in patients with severe inflammation and frequent recurrences. It is therefore necessary to monitor the occurrence of ocular hypertonia in these patients, in order to establish an effective hypotonizing therapy to overcome the potentially blinding complications of Glaucoma.

Financial Disclosure:

None