Long-Term Risk of Cataracts Higher in Pediatric Uveitis Patients: JAMA

The key findings of this study were:

The primary outcome measure was the hazard ratio (HR) for developing cataracts when comparing the uveitis group to the non-uveitis group.

The results showed that pediatric patients with uveitis had a significantly increased risk of developing cataracts over a follow-up period of up to 20 years. The overall hazard ratio was 17.17 that indicated a more than 17-fold increase in risk for the children with uveitis.

Subgroup studies found an increased cataract risk in all age groups: 0 to 6 years, 7 to 12 years and 13 to 18 years. Both male and female patients with uveitis showed a significantly higher risk of cataracts. Also, the outcomes found increased risks across different racial groups (Asian, Black or African American and White races).

The children who had or did not have a history of immunosuppressive drugs, steroid eye drop usage or intraocular surgeries were more likely to develop cataracts. Overall, this study discovered that patients under the age of 18 with uveitis may have a considerably increased risk of developing cataracts. These findings imply that juvenile patients with uveitis should be closely watched for the development of cataracts.

Reference:

Hsu, A. Y., Kuo, H.-T., Lin, C.-J., Hsia, N.-Y., Kuo, S.-C., Wei, C.-C., Lai, C.-T., Chen, H.-S., Wang, Y.-H., Wei, J. C.-C., & Tsai, Y.-Y. (2024). Cataract Development Among Pediatric Patients With Uveitis. In JAMA Network Open (Vol. 7, Issue 7, p. e2419366). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.19366