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Investigation of the microbiology of uveitis and scleritis may lend itself to other conditions
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A new tool to diagnose the presence of uveitis and scleritis may allow physicians to observe the clinical response of treatment in patients with inflammatory disease.
L.T. Dudek, MD, from Casey Eye Institute in Portland, Ore., reported on a small study of the etiology of human conjunctiva with the inflammatory diseases. She presented results here at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting during a symposium on immunology and microbiology.
Dr. Dudek and colleagues based their study on how leukocytes travel through the endothelium. They described three observances that categorized if patients had inflammatory disease or a healthy eye. They observed that leukocytes were sticking, rolling or had uninterrupted flow. Thirty-six patients were observed: 11 had scleritis, eight had uveitis, and 22 were healthy.
Dr. Dudek’s team developed a leukocyte adhesion scoring system to differentiate between eyes with uveitis or scleritis and healthy eyes. Those with disease had higher scores where leukoctye sticking occurred. She noted, however, that establishing normal limits of leukoctye etiology is also warranted.
In the future, studies may show intravitreal microscopy to be an effective and noninvasive diagnositc tool to detect ocular or systemic disease, Dr. Dudek said.