News

Article

Syphilitic uveitis surges in the US

Author(s):

Key Takeaways

  • Syphilis cases have risen 74% since 2017, with a concurrent shortage of injectable penicillin G.
  • The study analyzed 444,674 inpatients, identifying 5,581 syphilitic uveitis-related hospitalizations from 2010 to 2019.
SHOW MORE

This retrospective, cross-sectional study identified all inpatients diagnosed with syphilitic uveitis in the US between 2010 and 2019.

(ImageCredit: AdobeStock/Christoph Burgstedt)

(ImageCredit: AdobeStock/Christoph Burgstedt)

The incidence of syphilis is on the rise in the US. A new study1 advises clinicians to have a high index of suspicion for syphilis when evaluating patients with intraocular inflammation, according to Tahreem A. Mir, MD, lead study author from the Department of Ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville.

The number of syphilis cases has continued to rise in the US every year since 2001, with a 74% increase observed since 2017, she reported. Concurrently, there is a national shortage of injectable penicillin G.

The investigators conducted this study because no recent nationwide study has investigated the trends in incidence of syphilitic uveitis.

This retrospective, cross-sectional study identified all inpatients diagnosed with syphilitic uveitis in the US between 2010 and 2019 in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

The main outcome measure was the determination of the trends in the national and regional incidence of syphilitic uveitis-related hospitalizations in the US. The secondary outcome measures were the sociodemographic characteristics of patients with syphilitic uveitis, incidence stratified by sex and race and ethnicity, and median charge per syphilitic uveitis hospital admission.

Inpatient data from 444,674 patients (median age, 53 years; 54.8% male) were analyzed. An estimated 5,581 syphilitic uveitis-related hospitalizations occurring during the 10-year study period. The median age of patients with syphilitic uveitis was 45 years, and 4,395 patients (78.9%) were male.

African-Americans were disproportionately affected by syphilitic uveitis (32%), despite their comprising 13.6% of the population, as were individuals in the lowest median household income quartile (38.8%).

The investigators reported that the national incidence of syphilitic uveitis was 0.15/100,000 population, which was seen to increase over the years. The lowest incidence was seen in 2011, ie, 0.08/100,000 population) and the highest in 2019 (0.23/100,000 population; P = 0.04). Analysis of regional data showed increased incidence rates in all 4 US geographic regions. A total of 1,293 patients (23.2%) had comorbid AIDS.

Mir and colleagues concluded, “Although this cross-sectional study only captured inpatient diagnosis, an increasing incidence of syphilitic uveitis–related hospitalizations was observed in the US between 2010 and 2019. Given the concomitant national shortage of injectable penicillin G, results suggest that clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for syphilis when evaluating patients with intraocular inflammation.”

Reference
  1. Mir TA, Kim SJ, Fang W, et al. Rising incidence of syphilitic uveitis–related hospitalizations in the US. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online November 22, 2023; doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.5386

Newsletter

Don’t miss out—get Ophthalmology Times updates on the latest clinical advancements and expert interviews, straight to your inbox.

Related Videos
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Taylor Strange, DO, assesses early visual outcomes with femto-created arcuate incisions in premium IOL cases
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Neda Shamie, MD, shares her early clinical experience with the Unity VCS system
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Bonnie An Henderson, MD, on leveraging artificial intelligence in cataract refractive surgery
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Gregory Moloney, FRANZO, FRCSC, on rotational stability
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Steven J. Dell, MD, reports 24-month outcomes for shape-changing IOL
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) ASCRS 2025: Parag Majmudar, MD, on bridging the gap between residency and real-world practice
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Oluwatosin U. Smith talks Glaukomtecken
Abby Markward, MBA, and Hattie Hayes, editor of Ophthalmology Times Europe, discuss the ASCRS and ASOA meetings
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times) Inside ASCRS 2025: Francis S. Mah, MD, takes the helm with a vision for research, education, and advocacy
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.