Comprehensive analysis of vitreous specimens for uveitis classification: a prospective multicentre observational study

Purpose: To determine the clinical relevance of vitreous biomarkers in uveitis patients. Design: Multicentre, prospective, observational study. Setting: Uveitis outpatient clinics of two academic medical centres in Japan. Patient Population: This study included 234 eyes of 191 patients with various uveitis aetiologies: definitive sarcoidosis (61 eyes of 46 patients), suspected sarcoidosis (60 eyes of 45 patients), intraocular tumour (34 eyes of 27 patients), viral infection (20 eyes of 18 patients), non-sarcoidosis (16 eyes of 16 patients), and unknown aetiology (43 eyes of 39 patients). Observation Procedure: Vitreous samples (taken by pars planta vitrectomy) were analysed with flow cytometry, cytology, and multiplex PCR analysis. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measures were the diagnostic values of various biomarkers (T-cells, B-cells and pathogen DNA) in vitreous samples. The secondary outcome was visual acuity after vitrectomy. Results: Sarcoidosis showed higher CD...