Response to "Similarities in clinical course and outcome between juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated and ANA-positive idiopathic anterior uveitis: data from a population-based nationwide study in Germany".

ABSTRACT

We have read the article entitled "Similarities in clinical course and outcome between juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated and ANA-positive idiopathic anterior uveitis data from a population-based nationwide study in Germany" by Heiligenhaus et al. While we appreciate the work conducted by the authors, we have several comments we would like to address. First, the follow-up interval of 2 years is too short to conclude that the clinical course between two chronic pathologies is not significantly different. Second, remission status was determined by uveitis inactivity during the 2-year follow-up visit without any mention of flare frequency or length of remission, which is not a reliable measure of uveitis control. Third, ANA-positive idiopathic anterior uveitis is not a classification with a distinct clinical phenotype, and additional reports of serologic investigations would have been helpful.