Childhood Pars Planitis; Clinical Features and Outcomes

PURPOSE: To evaluate the demographic and clinical features of childhood pars planitis, and to determine the therapeutic and visual outcomes of the disease. METHODS: Medical records of pediatric patients (less than 16 years of age at diagnosis) with pars planitis and at least 6 months of follow-up who were referred to Labbafinejad Medical Center, Tehran, Iran over a 22 year period were reviewed. RESULTS: Overall, 117 eyes of 61 patients including 51 (83.6%) male subjects were included. Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 7.8±3.2 (range, 3–16) years. Mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.88±0.76 logMAR at presentation which improved to 0.39±0.51 logMAR at final visit (P<0.001). Endotheliitis was present in 23 (19.6%) eyes and was significantly more prevalent in subjects younger than 9 years (P=0.025). Cataract formation (41.9%) and cystoid macular edema (19.7%) were the most prevalent complications. Univariate regression analysis showed that better baseline visual acuity (OR=0.38, 95%CI 0.21–0.70, P=0.002), age older than 5 years at disease onset (OR=0.36, 95%CI 0.14–0.9, P=0.029), absence of endotheliitis (OR=0.39, 95%CI 0.15–0.99, P=0.047) and female gender (OR=3.77, 95%CI 1.03–13.93, P=0.046) were significantly associated with final BCVA of 20/40 or better. CONCLUSION: Childhood pars planitis was much more common among male subjects. Endotheliitis may be a sign of inflammation spillover and is more prevalent in younger patients. Visual prognosis is favorable in most patients with appropriate treatment.