Characteristics of Ankylosing Spondylitis Associated Uveitis

This is a one-year retrospective cohort study conducted at the Spine and Ophthalmology Clinics of Benha University - Faculty of Medicine, Egypt, between September 2023 and August 2024. The study aims to characterize the clinical features and identify prognostic factors affecting visual outcomes in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis-associated Anterior Uveitis (ASAAU).

Patients included in this study were Egyptian nationals who initially presented to the Spine Clinic with systemic symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and were subsequently referred to the Ophthalmology Clinic due to ophthalmic complaints. Only patients who were confirmed to have both AS (diagnosed according to the Modified New York criteria and radiographic imaging) and anterior uveitis (confirmed by slit-lamp examination and supported by Optical Coherence Tomography [OCT] and Fluorescein Angiography [FA]) were enrolled.

The final sample included 26 eyes from 22 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Patients were excluded if they were non-Egyptian, had other systemic autoimmune or immunologic conditions, had uveitis due to secondary causes, had undergone ocular surgeries, did not receive uveitis treatment, were lost to follow-up, or had incomplete medical records.

Inclusion criteria

• Egyptian nationality.

Age: ≥ 18 years.

Confirmed diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) according to the Modified New York Criteria, including:

Clinical symptoms (e.g., chronic inflammatory back pain, reduced lumbar motion, reduced chest expansion)

Radiographic evidence of sacroiliitis.

Confirmed diagnosis of Acute Anterior Uveitis (AAU) based on:

Ophthalmologic examination (e.g., slit-lamp biomicroscopy)

Ancillary testing (e.g., Optical Coherence Tomography [OCT] and/or Fluorescein Angiography [FA]).

Presentation to the Spine Clinic of Benha University - Faculty of Medicine between September 2023 and August 2024 with ophthalmic complaints, subsequently referred to the Ophthalmology Clinic.

Complete medical and ophthalmologic records available.

Received treatment for both AS and AAU.

At least one follow-up visit after initiation of treatment.

Exclusion criteria

• Non-Egyptian patients.

History of other systemic autoimmune or immunological diseases (e.g., sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus).

Uveitis due to non-autoimmune secondary causes (e.g., infectious uveitis, trauma-related uveitis).

History of ocular surgery prior to the episode of AAU