This study aims to determine associations between HLAB27-positive uveitis, ethnicity and seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpAs) in a New Zealand population.
2567 subjects with uveitis were seen and 19.2% were HLAB27-positive. Of the HLAB27-positive subjects, 60.3% and median age was 37.8 years (IQR 29.7–50.0). Ethnicities were Caucasian 60.6%, Asian (n=111, 22.6%), Maori 8.2% and Pacific Islander 7.7%. Uveitis classification was anterior 97.2%, intermediate 8.1%, panuveitis 1.8% and scleritis 0.4%. Maori or Pacific Islander ethnicity was associated with intermediate or panuveitis (p=0.003). Ankylosing spondylitis occurred in 33.1%; 17.8%+ were Maori or Pacific Islander. Subjects were younger (OR 0.982, p=0.009) and male (OR 1.980, p=0.001). There was no association with ethnicity or uveitis classification. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) occurred in 2.2%. Chronic anterior uveitis was more common with PsA (27.3% vs 7.1%, p=0.023). There was no association with gender or ethnicity. Inflammatory bowel disease occurred in 3.8% and reactive arthritis occurred in 2.8%. None developed chronic anterior uveitis (p=0.246 and p=0.227, respectively). There was no association with age at presentation, gender, ethnicity or uveitis classification.
The study concluded the difference in age and ethnicity in uveitis subtypes and SpAs.
Reference: https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2020/08/29/bjophthalmol-2020-316150
