Baseline characteristics of patients with ocular syphilis
| Variable | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age at presentation | |||
| Mean±SD | 43.7±14.0 years | ||
| Median | 41 years | ||
| Range | 24–81 years | ||
| Gender, n (%) | |||
| Male | 23 (92.0) | p<0.001* | |
| Female | 2 (8.0) | ||
| Laterality, n (%) | |||
| Unilateral | 13 (52.0) | ||
| Bilateral | 12 (48.0) | ||
| Country of origin, n (%) | |||
| Australia | 9 (36.0) | ||
| Other | 14 (56.0) | ||
| Unknown | 2 (8.0) | ||
| Sexual orientation, n (%) | |||
| Heterosexual | 12 (48.0) | ||
| MSM | 8 (32.0) | ||
| Unknown | 5 (20.0) | ||
| Hospital admission, n | |||
| Admitted | 16 | ||
| Length of stay, median | 15.0 days | ||
| HIV status, n (%) | |||
| Positive | 8 (32.0) | ||
| Negative | 12 (48.0) | ||
| Unknown | 5 (20.0) | ||
| HIV diagnosis, n | |||
| Newly diagnosed | 3 | ||
| Diagnosed within 5 years | 1 | ||
| Diagnosed >5 years | 4 | ||
| HIV treatment, n | |||
| HAART at presentation | 2 | ||
| Commenced on HAART | 2 | ||
| CD4 count in HIV positive cases at presentation, cells/mm3 (six HIV positive cases had CD4 count recorded) | |||
| Mean | 461 | ||
| Range | 190–800 | ||
| Syphilis stage†, n (%) | |||
| Primary | 0 (0) | ||
| Secondary | 0 (0) | ||
| Early latent | 2 (8.0) | ||
| Late latent | 6 (24.0) | ||
| Unknown latent | 11 (44.0) | ||
| Neurosyphilis | 6 (24.0) | ||
| Systemic syphilis diagnosis, n (%) | |||
| Syphilitic uveitis prompting new systemic syphilis diagnosis | 21 (84.0) | ||
| Previous diagnosis of syphilis, presenting with uveitis | 4 (16.0) | ||
HAART, highly active antiretroviral therapy; MSM, men who have sex with men; n, number.
*χ2 test of significance.
†Syphilis stage classified according to the Centers for Disease Control case definitions 2012.14