Prospective, Multicenter Demographic and Epidemiological Study on Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: A Glimpse of Ocular Surface in Italian Population

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency and epidemiological features of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) in Italy. Methods: a specific electronic clinical chart for vernal keratoconjunctivitis was created to standardize: 1) medical history; 2) diagnostic criteria; 3) signs and symptoms; and 4) treatments. This study involved 6 Italian referral centers for ocular surface diseases: between March 2005 and March 2006, all referred patients were included, clinical data collected and statistically examined. Results: The mean age of the vernal keratoconjunctivitis population (n = 156) was 13.8 ± 8.8 with 64.1% of subjects under 14 years of age and a male/female ratio of 3.5:1. Among VKC patients, 48.7% showed associated systemic allergic diseases. Only 32.1% of patients were positive for RAST and/or prick test. The limbal form (53.8%) was the most frequent subtype of vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Approximately 9% of patients showed a severe form of vernal keratoconjunctivitis. At the first visit patients were treated...