Abstract
Objective: This Study aimed at revisiting vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) on the basis of anamnestic, clinical, immunologic, histopathologic, and followup data of 195 patients. Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants: One hundred and ninety-five patients with VKC. Methods: Clinical evaluation and outcome in 151 of 195 patients with a median followup of 47 months. Evaluation was by telephone survey in 69 patients. Main Outceme Measures: (1) Demographic, clinical, and immunologic features of VKC and their influence on the course of the disease; (2) conjunctival and corneal complications and efficacy of treatment observed during the followup period. Results: VKC is a chronic disease. More than 60% of patients had repeated recurrences all year round. Males had an earlier presentation of symptoms than females and the male/female ratio decreased with age. Major (greater than 80%) and minor (up to 80%) diagnostic criteria were defined for clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. Negative skin test or radioallergosorbent test was present in approximately 50% of patients, whereas eosinophil infiltration was a constant histopathologic finding. A marked conjunctival sensitivity to nonspecific stimuli was noted in more than one third of patients. In 6% of cases, a reduction of visual acuity resulted from corneal scarring, and in 2% of patients, steroid-induced glaucoma was observed. The large size of giant papillae indicates poor prognosis for the persistence of the disease and its evolution into a chronic, perennial condition. Conclusions: VKC is a chronic eosinophilic disease of the ocular surface involving IgE, non IgE-mediated mechanisms, and age-sex-related influences. Although the disease has a good prognosis, severe visual impairments may result from long-standing inflammation. (C) 2000 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1157-1163 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Ophthalmology |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
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Vernal keratoconjunctivitis revisited : A case series of 195 patients with long-term followup. / Bonini, Stefano; Bonini, Sergio; Lambiase, Alessandro; Marchi, Stefano; Pasqualetti, Patrizio; Zuccaro, Ornella; Rama, Paolo; Magrini, Laura; Juhas, Tomas; Bucci, Massimo G.
In: Ophthalmology, Vol. 107, No. 6, 2000, p. 1157-1163.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Vernal keratoconjunctivitis revisited
T2 - A case series of 195 patients with long-term followup
AU - Bonini, Stefano
AU - Bonini, Sergio
AU - Lambiase, Alessandro
AU - Marchi, Stefano
AU - Pasqualetti, Patrizio
AU - Zuccaro, Ornella
AU - Rama, Paolo
AU - Magrini, Laura
AU - Juhas, Tomas
AU - Bucci, Massimo G.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Objective: This Study aimed at revisiting vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) on the basis of anamnestic, clinical, immunologic, histopathologic, and followup data of 195 patients. Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants: One hundred and ninety-five patients with VKC. Methods: Clinical evaluation and outcome in 151 of 195 patients with a median followup of 47 months. Evaluation was by telephone survey in 69 patients. Main Outceme Measures: (1) Demographic, clinical, and immunologic features of VKC and their influence on the course of the disease; (2) conjunctival and corneal complications and efficacy of treatment observed during the followup period. Results: VKC is a chronic disease. More than 60% of patients had repeated recurrences all year round. Males had an earlier presentation of symptoms than females and the male/female ratio decreased with age. Major (greater than 80%) and minor (up to 80%) diagnostic criteria were defined for clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. Negative skin test or radioallergosorbent test was present in approximately 50% of patients, whereas eosinophil infiltration was a constant histopathologic finding. A marked conjunctival sensitivity to nonspecific stimuli was noted in more than one third of patients. In 6% of cases, a reduction of visual acuity resulted from corneal scarring, and in 2% of patients, steroid-induced glaucoma was observed. The large size of giant papillae indicates poor prognosis for the persistence of the disease and its evolution into a chronic, perennial condition. Conclusions: VKC is a chronic eosinophilic disease of the ocular surface involving IgE, non IgE-mediated mechanisms, and age-sex-related influences. Although the disease has a good prognosis, severe visual impairments may result from long-standing inflammation. (C) 2000 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
AB - Objective: This Study aimed at revisiting vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) on the basis of anamnestic, clinical, immunologic, histopathologic, and followup data of 195 patients. Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants: One hundred and ninety-five patients with VKC. Methods: Clinical evaluation and outcome in 151 of 195 patients with a median followup of 47 months. Evaluation was by telephone survey in 69 patients. Main Outceme Measures: (1) Demographic, clinical, and immunologic features of VKC and their influence on the course of the disease; (2) conjunctival and corneal complications and efficacy of treatment observed during the followup period. Results: VKC is a chronic disease. More than 60% of patients had repeated recurrences all year round. Males had an earlier presentation of symptoms than females and the male/female ratio decreased with age. Major (greater than 80%) and minor (up to 80%) diagnostic criteria were defined for clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. Negative skin test or radioallergosorbent test was present in approximately 50% of patients, whereas eosinophil infiltration was a constant histopathologic finding. A marked conjunctival sensitivity to nonspecific stimuli was noted in more than one third of patients. In 6% of cases, a reduction of visual acuity resulted from corneal scarring, and in 2% of patients, steroid-induced glaucoma was observed. The large size of giant papillae indicates poor prognosis for the persistence of the disease and its evolution into a chronic, perennial condition. Conclusions: VKC is a chronic eosinophilic disease of the ocular surface involving IgE, non IgE-mediated mechanisms, and age-sex-related influences. Although the disease has a good prognosis, severe visual impairments may result from long-standing inflammation. (C) 2000 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033773129&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0161-6420(00)00092-0
DO - 10.1016/S0161-6420(00)00092-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 10857837
AN - SCOPUS:0033773129
VL - 107
SP - 1157
EP - 1163
JO - Ophthalmology
JF - Ophthalmology
SN - 0161-6420
IS - 6
ER -