Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease in elderly Japanese patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease in elderly (age > or =65 years) Japanese patients. We reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with VKH disease at the Department of Ophthalmology, Oita University Hospital between October 1982 and March 2005. Data extracted included age, gender, prodromal symptoms, visual acuity, ocular manifestations, extraocular findings, human leukocyte antigen (HLA), ocular complications, treatment, and smoldering inflammation. Of the 68 patients with VKH disease, seven (10%) were classified as elderly at onset. The incidence of optic disk hyperemia, choroidal detachment, and cataract was significantly higher in the elderly patients than the non-elderly patients (