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Purpose: To investigate the risk factors for developing uveitis in a regional cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) as classified under ILAR criteria., Patients and Methods: The clinical factors for developing uveitis and its visual outcome were studied retrospectively for all children diagnosed with JIA at Nottingham University Hospital, England from 1974 to 2001., Results: A total of 202 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis were identified. Twenty-three patients (11.4%) were found to have uveitis. The mean age of arthritis onset in those with uveitis was 4.9 (95% CI 3.4-6.4) and in those without uveitis was 7.6 (95% CI 7.0-8.3), p = 0.002. Both the persistent and extended oligoarthritis groups are at significant risk of developing uveitis on Kaplan-Meier analysis with p = 0.001 and 0.013, respectively, compared to other ILAR subtypes. Extended oligoarthritis (1 to 4 joints affected in first 6 months of disease but 5 or more cumulative joints after first 6 months) had the highest prevalence of uveitis (25%) among the ILAR subtypes. Patients with extended oligoarthritis also developed uveitis earlier than persistent group, p = 0.017. Gender, race, and antinuclear antibody (ANA) status were not significant risk factors. The visual outcome was favorable, with 90% achieving acuity of 6/12 or better., Conclusion: Patients with extended oligoarthritis are at higher risk and have a shorter interval from diagnosis of arthritis to development of uveitis and need to be monitored more closely. Screening guideline for JIA-associated uveitis based on ILAR classification is called for.

This study of a 30-year population-based dataset investigates further an earlier observation that the incidence of sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma appeared to be increasing in recent years in the West Midlands Health Authority Region (WMHAR). Stringent measures were applied to ensure complete ascertainment of all cases of retinoblastoma in children in the region, resulting in a total of 117 cases diagnosed during the period 1960-89 in the WMHAR. Hospital case notes were abstracted and follow-up data obtained. Incidence rates were calculated. The overall incidence remained constant over the 30-year period, but that of sporadic bilateral tumours increased, with a corresponding decline in familial cases. There was a statistically significant excess seen in Asian children.