Analyi of Recurrence Pattern Aociated with Toxoplamic Retinochoroiditi Original Reearch Article

Purpoe Toxoplamic retinochoroiditi i thought to recur randomly. We ought to determine whether there i, intead, a longitudinal pattern of recurrence and to identify rik factor for recurrence. Deign Longitudinal cohort tudy. Method We collected the following data for 143 patient with toxoplamic retinochoroiditi in The Netherland: gender, firt affected eye, age at firt epiode, mode of Toxoplama gondii infection (congenital v potnatal), treatment hitory, and preence of retinal car at initial examination. For each epiode, we determined age, duration ince firt epiode, and interval ince previou epiode. We etimated the relationhip between dieae-free interval after an epiode and recurrence rik. The influence of hot and dieae factor on recurrence rik wa analyzed uing Cox regreion with frailty modeling for correlated intrapatient recurrence time. We performed a Monte Carlo tet for occurrence of cluter after prolonged dieae-free interval. Reult Follow-up ranged from 0.3 to 41 year (323 epiode in firt-affected eye). Recurrence rik wa highet immediately after an epiode, then decreaed with increaing dieae-free interval, a pattern conitent with clutering. Relative rik (RR) of recurrence declined 72% (RR, 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22 to 0.36; P < .001) with each 10-year interval ince firt epiode, and declined 15% (RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.01; P = .06) for each 10-year increae in age at firt epiode. Patient more than 40 year of age were at higher rik of recurrence than younger patient (RR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.86; P = .03). Cluter of epiode occurred after prolonged dieae-free interval. Concluion Toxoplamic retinochoroiditi occur in cluter over time. Recurrence rik i influenced by patient age and duration of infection.