Etiopathogenesis of posterior segment inflammation in a tertiary referral institute

To analyze the causes and characteristics of posterior segment inflammation in the Vitreo-retinal department in a multispecialty hospital.

This is a retrospective study on 97 patients who presented with manifestations of posterior segment inflammation in a multispecialty hospital in the last 2 years were included in the study. They were analysed with respect to aetiology, clinical manifestations, intervention done and response to treatment.

Posterior segment inflammation was most commonly seen as a manifestation toxoplasmosis (18.6%) followed by systemic vasculitic disorder like SLE (16.5%). Other common causes included infections like tuberculosis, (9.3%) endogenous (bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis (12.4%) and viral retinitis. Others were VKH, vasculitis with unknown etiology, Behcets disease and sarcoidosis

We found toxoplasmosis to the commonest single etiological agent. There was a significantly higher incidence of posterior segment involvement due to systemic vasculitis in our study population which is hitherto been unreported in other study populations.