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Younger age may be a risk factor for recurrence of ocular toxoplasmosis
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Younger age appears to elevate the risk for recurrence among patients with ocular toxoplasmosis, a retrospective study suggests. Overall, two-thirds of ocular toxoplasmosis patients will experience recurrence, with the interval between the first episode and the first recurrence tending to decrease as the number of recurrences increases.
J.G. Garweg, MD, and colleagues evaluated questionnaire responses obtained from 63 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. These questionnaires addressed the manifestations and activity of disease, particularly the dates of the first manifestation and subsequent recurrences. The investigators then compared questionnaire results to each patient's medical records.
For analysis, the patients were divided into two groups based on median age at the time of disease manifestation. Group one consisted of 35 patients who were younger than 20.9 years at the time of their first episode, and group two consisted of 28 patients who were 20.9 years or older.
Follow-up averaged 6.5 years.
The recurrence rate was higher in group one (66%) than in group two (39%; P < .05), the authors reported.
The 29 patients who reported only one episode averaged 29.6 years of age at first manifestation, whereas the 15 patients who reported two episodes averaged 17.9 years of age at first manifestation (P < .05).
Overall, between 54% and 63% of patients developed a recurrence after each episode, and most recurrences occurred within the first, second or third year after the first manifestation.
However, recurrences were not influenced by the number of episodes, according to the study, published in the September issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology.