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Associated Systemic Diseases

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Scleritis

Part of the book series: Essentials in Ophthalmology ((ESSENTIALS))

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Abstract

Scleritis may be associated with systemic autoimmune diseases or infection. It may occur after a systemic disease has been diagnosed, or it may be the presenting manifestation of an otherwise occult systemic disease. In patients with scleritis as a consequence of a systemic condition, the underlying disease is already known in about 80% of patients at the time scleritis presents. Autoimmune conditions are found in approximately 40–50% of patients and infections in approximately 7%. The most commonly associated diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, and relapsing polychondritis. Systemic vasculitis is more likely to be diagnosed after the initial diagnostic evaluation than other rheumatic diseases. Less commonly associated conditions include seronegative spondyloarthropathies, polyarteritis nodosa sarcoidosis, cryoglobulinemia, and hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis. The most commonly associated infections with scleritis are herpes zoster and herpes simplex.

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Compliance with Ethical Requirements

Author C. Stephen Foster discloses the following:

Consultancies with Aldeyra Therapeutics (Lexington, MA), Bausch & Lomb Surgical, Inc. (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Eyegate Pharma (Waltham, MA), Novartis (Cambridge, MA), pSivida (Watertown, MA), and Xoma (Berkeley, CA)

Grants or grants pending with Alcon (Aliso Viejo, CA), Aldeyra Therapeutics (Lexington, MA), Bausch & Lomb (Bridgewater, NJ), Clearside Biomedical (Alpharetta, GA), Dompé Pharmaceutical (Milan, Italy), Eyegate Pharma (Waltham, MA), Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (Dublin, Ireland), Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge, MA), pSivida (Watertown, MA), and Santen (Osaka, Japan)

Payment for lectures including service on speaking bureaus: Alcon (Aliso Viejo, CA), Allergan (Dublin, Ireland)

Stock or stock options: Eyegate Pharma (Waltham, MA)

Author Neerav Lamba declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Eye Specialists Center LLC, 10436 Southwest Highway, Chicago Ridge, IL, 60415, USA

    Neerav Lamba MD

  2. Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, 1440 Main St, Suite 201, Waltham, MA, 02451, USA

    Neerav Lamba MD & C. Stephen Foster MD FACS FACR

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  1. Neerav Lamba MD
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  2. C. Stephen Foster MD FACS FACR
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Correspondence to C. Stephen Foster MD FACS FACR .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Moorfields Eyes Hospital, London, United Kingdom

    Carlos Pavesio

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Lamba, N., Stephen Foster, C. (2017). Associated Systemic Diseases. In: Pavesio, C. (eds) Scleritis. Essentials in Ophthalmology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49915-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49915-4_3

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