Frequency and factors associated with ocular damage during chronic inflammatory rheumatism in a university hospital in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

Résumé

Introduction: To determine the frequency and factors associated with ocular damage in patients treated for chronic inflammatory rheumatism.

Patients and Method: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study of ocular damage in patients treated for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in rheumatology consultations at a reference university hospital from April 2023 to October 2023. The association between the dependent variables (ocular damage, ocular dryness, keratitis, superficial punctate keratitis, cataract and conjunctivitis) and the independent variables was tested using the Chi-square test (comparison of proportions) and the t-test (comparison of means), with a significance level of 5%.

Results: One hundred and fourteen patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 46.05 ± 15.52 years. Sixty-six (57.89%) patients had ocular involvement. These included 59 (89.40%) women and seven (10.60%) men. The mean age of patients with ocular involvement was 49.16 years versus 41.77 years for those without ocular involvement (p=0.011). Dry eye, keratitis and superficial punctate keratitis were observed in 75.75%, 51.51% and 28.78% respectively. The inflammatory rheumatic diseases concerned were dominated by Sjögren's syndrome (83.33%), rheumatoid arthritis (61.33%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (41.17%). Ocular involvement was observed in 34 patients aged 50 or over compared with 32 patients aged under 50 (p=0.053). Dry eye was noted in 28 patients aged 50 or over compared with 22 patients aged under 50 (p=0.021). Cataract was found in 9 patients aged 50 or over and in one patient aged under 50 (p=0.003).

Conclusion: Ocular damage is common in patients treated for inflammatory rheumatism and occurs at a relatively young age in our context. Dry eye was the main complaint.