MACULAR THICKNESS IN HLA B-27 POSITIVE PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ANTERIOR UVEITIS

Uveitis is the inflammation of the uveal tract. According to the localization of pathological processes in the affected eyes, uveitis can be classified as anterior, intermediate, posterior and as panuveitis. Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the most common form of uveitis. Almost half of all the patients with AAU are HLA-B27 positive. The aim of the paper was to analyze the changes in macular thickness in HLA B-27 positive patients with unilateral acute anterior uveitis. The study enrolled 15 patients aged 30-60 years with unilateral acute anterior uveitis, without clinically recognized macular edema and without any other ocular diseases. Both the affected and healthy eyes were monitored. The control group consisted of 15 individuals without systemic or ocular diseases. Macular thickness was measured using Cirrus SD-OCT-a (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA). The measurements were performed at days 1, 3 and 7 after the onset of the disease. The values of macular thickness were compared between the affected and healthy eye, as well as in relation to the controls. In the group of patients with acute anterior uveitis, 8 patients were diagnosed with Bechterew’s disease, 5 patients with Reiter’s syndrome and 2 patients had psoriatic arthritis. The highest value of mean macular thickness was registered on day 7 after the onset of the disease. At this point, a statistically significant difference in macular thickness between the affected and healthy eye was also registered, while in comparison to the controls it was noted from the first day of follow-up. HLA B-27 positive patients with unilateral acute anterior uveitis showed the signs of macular thickening. Acta Medica Medianae 2016;55(4):46-51.