Clinical Features and Complications of Scleritis in Chinese Patients.

PURPOSE: To characterize the clinical features of scleritis in Chinese patients.

METHODS: The history, demographics, ocular findings, auxiliary examination findings, complications, systemic diseases and therapeutic effects were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: The study included 124 male and 169 female patients with scleritis. Anterior and posterior scleritis were, respectively, found in 243 and 42 patients. The other eight patients had both anterior and posterior involvement. The mean age of scleritis onset was 39.4 years. Systemic diseases associated with scleritis mainly included rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (4.4%), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (3.4%), and tuberculosis (1.7%). Anterior uveitis (23.7%), complicated cataract (16.7%), and intraocular hypertension (12.6%) were common complications of scleritis. Scleritis was controlled in 94.6% of the patients treated with corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents.

CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse anterior scleritis was the most common scleritis entity in China. RA and AS were relatively common diseases associated with scleritis. Corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents effectively controlled the disease.