| Presentation preference | Oral presentation |
| Title | Involvement of the systemic microcirculation in childhood uveitis |
| Purpose | To investigate the systemic microcirculation through nailfold capillaroscopic (NFC) assessment in patients with pediatric uveitis. |
| Methods | In total, 119 children with noninfectious uveitis and 25 healthy pediatric controls were included. The assessed NFC parameters were: capillary density (number of capillaries/mm), dilated capillaries (apex of >20µm), avascular areas, presence of microhemorrhages, and capillary morphology. NFC differences were calculated through regression analysis adjusted for age and sex between uveitis patients and pediatric controls. |
| Results | Patients with pediatric uveitis had an increased median number of dilated capillaries/mm (0.2 vs. 0, Padj=0.04), and a higher occurrence of ramified capillaries compared to pediatric controls (70% vs. 40%, Padj=0.03). Intermediate uveitis was specifically associated with a higher number of dilated capillaries (0.5 vs. 0, Padj <0.001), whereas anterior uveitis patients had a lower capillary density (7.0 vs. 7.5, Padj=0.008), and more ramified capillaries (1.8 % vs. 0.6%, Padj=0.01) compared to pediatric controls. No significant association was found between NFC parameters and posterior segment vascular inflammatory involvement on fluorescein angiography. The prospective NFC assessment of 20 children with pediatric uveitis did not show a change during 12 months of follow-up. |
| Conclusion | The systemic microcirculation seems to be involved in pediatric uveitis with different presentation in anterior and nonanterior uveitis. These alterations in the systemic microcirculation seems to be independent from posterior segment vascular inflammatory involvement and do not change over a short period of time. |
| Conflict of interest | No |
Authors 1
| Last name | KOUWENBERG |
| Initials of first name(s) | CV |
| Department | Ophthalmology |
| City | Utrecht |
| Country | Netherlands |
Authors 2
| Last name | Spierings |
| Initials of first name(s) | J |
| Department | Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology |
| City | Utrecht |
| Country | Netherlands |
Authors 3
| Last name | de Groot |
| Initials of first name(s) | EL |
| Department | Ophthalmology |
| City | Utrecht |
| Country | Netherlands |
Authors 4
| Last name | de Boer |
| Initials of first name(s) | JH |
| Department | Ophthalmology |
| City | Utrecht |
| Country | Netherlands |
Authors 5
| Last name | Kalinina Ayuso |
| Initials of first name(s) | V |
| Department | Ophthalmology |
| City | Utrecht |
| Country | Netherlands |
