Comparison of Clinical Characteristics between Rubella Virus and Cytomegalovirus Associated Chronic Unilateral Anterior Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To identify the clinical characteristics that may predict the diagnosis of Rubella virus (RV) or Cytomegalovirus (CMV) among cases of chronic treatment resistant or steroid dependent unilateral anterior uveitis (AU).

METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CMV and 32 patients with RV chronic AU were enrolled. The respective frequency of certain demographic and clinical characteristics was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: The presence of abnormal vessels in the anterior chamber angle (75% and 6.1%, respectively, p < .001), vitritis (68.8%-12.1%, p < .001), iris heterochromia (40.6%-15.2%, p = .022) and iris nodules (21.9%-3%, p = .027) were more common among RV AU. Conversely, intraocular pressure greater than 26 mmHg was more commonly encountered in CMV associated AU (63.6%-15.6%, respectively, p < .001) and large keratic precipitates were detected only in CMV-associated AU.

CONCLUSIONS: RV- and CMV-induced chronic AU differ significantly in the prevalence of specific clinical characteristics.