Understanding the impact of uveitis on health-related quality of life in adolescents

Purpose: A reduction in quality of life (QoL) during an active phase of disease has been shown for patients with uveitis of various age groups. Adult uveitis patients were shown to also have reduced QoL-values despite disease being quiescent, but adolescents have not been investigated in this respect.
Methods: This clinic-based, cross-sectional pilot study assessed the overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents (11–18 years) with a history of inactive uveitis and good visual function. Two independent generic (non-disease-specific) instruments were applied, the Inventory for Assessing the Quality of Life and the German KINDL-R-questionnaire.
Results: Thirty-seven adolescents, 20 females (54%) and 17 males with a mean age of 15 ± 3 years and diagnosis since 5 ± 2 years participated. Subgroups with a reduced HRQoL were those with anterior and intermediate localization of uveitis, bilateral disease, application of immunosuppressive therapy, a short time since diagnosis, and a high number of recurrences.
Conclusion: Even despite quiescence of disease and good visual function, certain risk factors may result in a decreased HRQoL in juvenile uveitis patients. Our findings support the need of further evaluation of HRQoL in this patient group, the validation of specific psychometric inventories for this disease and the establishment of interdisciplinary collaboration including psychological counselling.