Comparison of Sociodemographic Features Between Behçet Uveitis and Other Non-infectious Uveitis

OBJECTIVES: To analyze and compare sociodemographic features between Behçet uveitis and other non-infectious uveitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of adults with non-infectious uveitis in the nationwide uveitis database were analyzed and the sociodemographic features of patients with and without Behçet disease were compared. RESULTS: This study included data of 4,978 eyes of 3,363 patients from 33 centers. The mean age at presentation was 38.7±13.3 (17- 87) years. The mean age was 34.3±10.5 years in the Behçet uveitis group and 41.1±14.0 years in the other non-infectious uveitis group (p<0.001). Male predominance was seen in the Behçet uveitis group (67.7% vs. 32.3%) while female patients were more common in the other non-infectious uveitis group (54.4% vs. 45.6%, p<0.001). Regarding education level, the proportion of patients with low education was higher in the Behçet uveitis group than the other non-infectious uveitis group (49.6% vs. 43.4% in males, p=0.004; 61.5% vs. 59.2% in females, p=0.021). Having a low-income job or being currently unemployed, indicators of poor income, were more frequent in the Behçet uveitis group than in the other non-infectious uveitis group (32.0% vs. 22.8%, p<0.001). In the comparison of places of residence, the proportion of patients who lived in cities with low gross national product was 37.0% in the Behçet uveitis group and 31.1% in the other non-infectious uveitis group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with Behçet disease had lower education level and socioeconomic status than patients with other non-infectious uveitis entities.