Vitreous hemorrhage is a common complication of pediatric pars planitis

Objective: To report the prevalence of vitreous hemorrhage in pars planitis and to compare the prevalence of hemorrhage for children and adults with the disease. Design: A retrospective, cross-sectional observational study. Participants: One hundred eighteen consecutive patients with pars planitis who were evaluated at the Oregon Health and Science University Uveitis Clinic between September 1985 and April 2000. Method: A review of clinical records. Main Outcome Measures: For all patients, we recorded presence or absence of vitreous hemorrhage, as well as laterality and cause. Children were defined as being age 16 years or younger at diagnosis, and adults were defined as being aged 17 years or older at diagnosis. Results: Fourteen percent of patients with pars planitis experienced vitreous hemorrhage. Persons with hemorrhage were significantly younger at the time of disease diagnosis than persons without hemorrhage (P = 0.040). The difference in prevalence of vitreous hemorrhage between children (28%) and adults (6%) was statistically significant (P = 0.003). The difference in prevalence of hemorrhage as a presenting feature between children (20%) and adults (1%) was also statistically significant (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Children with pars planitis are more likely than adults to experience vitreous hemorrhage. Pars planitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric vitreous hemorrhage.