Background Case reports suggest a potential association between coeliac disease (CD) and uveitis, but larger well-controlled studies are lacking. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the risk of uveitis in patients with biopsy-verified CD.

Methods Small intestinal biopsy reports performed between July 1969 and February 2008 were collected from all (n=28) pathology departments in Sweden. From these reports, 29 044 patients with CD (equals villous atrophy, Marsh 3) were identified. Uveitis was defined according to relevant International Classification of Disease codes in the Swedish National Patient Register. Cox regression was used to estimate HR for uveitis in individuals with CD compared with those in reference individuals matched for age, sex, county and calendar year.

Results During follow-up, 148 patients with CD developed uveitis (expected count 112), corresponding to a HR of 1.32 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.58). The absolute risk of uveitis was 50/100 000 person-years in CD. The risk estimate did not change more than marginally when adjusted for type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroid disease (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.56). The risk of uveitis remained significantly increased even 5 years after CD diagnosis (HR 1.31; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.64).

Conclusion A moderately increased risk of uveitis was found in patients with biopsy-verified CD. CD might be considered in patients with uveitis of unknown aetiology.