Noncommunicable Diseases in The Southwest of Iran, A Region of High Altitude with Distinctive Ethnic Groups: Results of The Shahrekord Cohort Study

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Southwest Of Iran ◽

Abstract Background: Critical inter-provincial differences within Iran in the pattern of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and difficulties inherent to the identification of prevention methods to reduce mortality from NCDs have challenged the implementation of the provincial health system plan. The Shahrekord Cohort Study was designed to address these gaps in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, a province of high altitude of the southwest of Iran, characterized by its large Bakthiari population.Methods: This ongoing cohort, prospective longitudinal study is a unique, rich biobank and a large-scale study conducted for the first time in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in Iran. The study began in 2015, recruited 10075 participants (52.8% female) from both urban and rural (30.2%) areas and participants will be followed up until at least 2035. Diseases and their outcomes are ascertained from clinical examinations, interviews, and linkage with medical records registered in the health system.Results: Preliminary results indicate that the prevalence of NCDs at baseline was relatively high, for example 10.7% for type 2 diabetes mellitus, 20.2% for hypertension, 14.6% for non-alcoholic fatty liver, 11.4% for thyroid disease, and 5.7%, 0.9% and 1.3% for ischemic heart disease, stroke and myocardial infarction respectively. The mean (standard deviation) of BMI, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and cholesterol were 27.6 (4.6) kg/m2, 115.4 (17.3) mmHg, 96.7 (27.3) mmol/L and 184.1 (42.8) respectively. All NCDs appeared to be more frequent in urban than rural areas, except gastroesophageal reflux (32.3% in rural and 29% in the urban area). Conclusions: The Shahrekord Cohort Study provides a platform for epidemiological studies that will be useful for a better prevention and management of NCDs in the southwest of Iran.

Endemicity of malaria in rural areas: A prospective longitudinal study in India

South East Asia Journal of Public Health ◽

10.3329/seajph.v2i2.15940 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 28-33

Author(s):

Mohammad Athar Ansari ◽

Iqbal Mohd Khan

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Presumptive Treatment ◽

Medical College ◽

Paramedical Staff ◽

Increasing Trend ◽

The aim of the study is to assess the magnitude of the problem and certain epidemiological factors associated with malaria and examine the changing pattern of malaria through its parameters of measurement during 2009-2011. The study was carried out at the Rural Health Training Center (RHTC), under the J. N. Medical College, Aligarh Mus-lim University, Aligarh, (India) for three years from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2011. Teams of doctors and paramedical staff regularly visited the villages. If any person was found to be suffering from fever, his/her blood was examined for the malaria parasite. Patients were given presumptive treatment and radical treatment if slides were positive. The findings of the study demonstrated that the number of malaria cases increased during the study period, but in the year 2010, a sudden upsurge was noticed. Out of 5594 patients, most of the patients seen were in the age group of 11-20 years (34.3%). P. vivax (96.2%) was the most common malaria infection in these areas. An increasing trend of malaria was seen from July to October. Most of the parameters of malaria measurement in-creased many folds in 2010 and showed a declining trend in 2011. The overall findings of the study indicated the high endemicity of malaria in the study area and demonstrated a changing pattern of malaria in the registered vil-lages as most of the parameters of malaria measurement increased. An integrated approach is needed which in-cludes mass survey or active surveillance, and appropriate drug therapy to tackle this public health problem. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/seajph.v2i2.15940 South East Asia J Public Health | Jul-Dec 2012 | Vol 2 Issue 2 | 28-33

Interns’ depressive symptoms evolution and training aspects: a prospective cohort study

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1806-9282.64.09.806 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (9) ◽

pp. 806-813

Author(s):

Daniela Betinassi Parro-Pires ◽

Luiz Antônio Nogueira-Martins ◽

Vanessa de Albuquerque Citero

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Professional Training ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

First Year ◽

Occupational Characteristics ◽

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE To study depression symptoms’ incidence of medical interns (first year of medical residency) and its correlation with occupational characteristics, satisfaction and stress about their training program. METHODS Prospective Cohort Study conducted at Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. First year residents, N = 166, from a teaching hospital were invited to answer the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and an occupational questionnaire in a prospective longitudinal study. BDI score variation was related with socio-demographic aspects and occupational characteristics using linear regression models. RESULTS 111 subjects participated (67%); the BDI-score increased in 8 months (mean = 2.75 ± 3.29 vs. 7.00 ± 5.66; p<0.0001). The depressive symptoms’ incidence was 9.01% (score>15). BDI-score variation had mean = 4.25 ± 4.93, ranging from -8 to 28. Residents not satisfied with professional training acquired (β = 3.44; p = 0.004), with their personal life (β = 2.97; p = 0.001), or who felt stressed in the relationship with senior residents (β = 2.91; p = 0.015) presented 3 more points of BDI-score after 8 months comparing to those without these perceptions; and being unsatisfied with the nursing team increased BDI-score after 8 months in 2 more points (β = 1.95; p = 0.025). CONCLUSION Among the factors that interfere with depression in interns is the occupational characteristics, which might be enhanced by the training facility. Addressing these dissatisfaction and stressful issues should help the university provide better care of interns’ mental health.

Anti-Müllerian hormone in children: a ten-year prospective longitudinal study (EarlyBird 39)

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2014-0517 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 28 (9-10) ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Alison Jeffery ◽

Adam J. Streeter ◽

Joanne Hosking ◽

Terence J. Wilkin ◽

Scott M. Nelson

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Longitudinal Data ◽

Ovarian Function ◽

Pubertal Development ◽

Tanner Stage ◽

Study Data ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Inverse Association ◽

AbstractAnti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced by Sertoli cells of the testes and granulosa cells of the ovary. There are limited prospective longitudinal data assessing AMH concentrations throughout childhood in both sexes.This study aimed to examine AMH throughout childhood with particular reference to the relationship of AMH to pubertal development in both sexes.This is a prospective longitudinal non-intervention cohort study with annual sampling for participants aged 5–14 years.Community cohort study.A total of 307 healthy children (170 boys) recruited at 5 years from randomly selected schools in Plymouth, UK, participated in this study. Data sets are complete in 76% of the children at 14 years of age.Annual measures of serum AMH, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), Tanner stage (TS).Boys: AMH was stable from 5 to 7 years, increased slightly from 8 to 10 years, then declined at TS2. This decline was preceded by rising FSH and the appearance of LH. AMH correlated inversely with gonadotrophic hormones during puberty. Girls: AMH increased slightly between 6 and 10 years, peaking during the final prepubertal year before returning to near baseline levels at TS3. Inverse correlations between AMH and FSH were apparent during the prepubertal years.Our longitudinal data clarified the development of individual AMH levels over a 10-year period. We described modest late prepubertal peaks in both boys and girls, and confirmed the pubertal decline in boys. The inverse association of AMH with gonadotrophins in young females supports its role as a marker of ovarian function, while the precise role for AMH in relation to testicular function in young males remains unclear.

The association between depressive symptoms and neurocognitive impairment in people with well-treated HIV in Switzerland

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462420987434 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095646242098743

Author(s):

Galia Santos ◽

Isabella Locatelli ◽

Mélanie Métral ◽

Alexandre Berney ◽

Isaure Nadin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Neurocognitive Impairment ◽

Depression Score ◽

Neurocognitive Assessment ◽

Score Threshold ◽

Background: Depression may contribute to neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in people with HIV (PWH). Attributing NCI to depression rather than to HIV is complicated as depression may be both a causal factor and an effect of NCI. This study aimed to determine the association between depressive symptoms and NCI among PWH with well-controlled infection. Methods: The Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Ageing Cohort study is an ongoing, prospective, longitudinal study of PWH aged ≥45 years old nested within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Ageing Cohort study participants underwent neurocognitive assessment and grading of depressive symptoms using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Neurocognitive impairment categories were defined using Frascati criteria. Participants with NCI related to neurological or psychiatric confounders other than depression were excluded. The cross-sectional association between the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression score and neurocognitive impairment was examined taking Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression score as a continuous variable and then as a binary variable using two score thresholds, 16 and 27. Results: Excluding 79 participants with confounding factors, 902 participants were studied: 81% were men; 96% had plasma viral loads <50 copies/ml; 35% had neurocognitive impairment; 28% had Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scores ≥16. Higher Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scores were associated with female sex ( p = 0.0003), non-Caucasian origin ( p = 0.011) and current/past intravenous drug use ( p = 0.002). Whilst neurocognitive impairment was associated with higher Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scores, the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression score was a poor predictor of having neurocognitive impairment (area under the ROC curve 0.604). Applying a Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression score threshold of 16 predicted the presence of neurocognitive impairment with a sensitivity of 38.3% (specificity 77.2%), increasing the threshold to 27 lowered sensitivity to 15.4% (specificity 93.6%). Conclusion: In this large cohort of PWH in Switzerland, we did not observe a Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression score threshold that was sensitive in predicting neurocognitive impairment. As neurocognitive impairment was however associated with higher Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scores, the data support the screening for and treatment of depression among PWH diagnosed with neurocognitive impairment.

Protective behaviours and secondary harms from non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 epidemic in South Africa: a multisite prospective longitudinal study

10.1101/2020.11.12.20230136 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guy Harling ◽

Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé ◽

Joseph Tlouyamma ◽

Tinofa Mutevedzi ◽

Chodziwadziwa Whiteson Kabudula ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Prospective Longitudinal ◽

The Impact ◽

Pharmaceutical Interventions

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn March 2020 South Africa implemented strict non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to contain Covid-19. Over the subsequent five months NPIs were eased in stages according to national strategy. Covid-19 spread throughout the country heterogeneously, reaching rural areas by July and peaking in July-August. Data on the impact of NPI policies on social and economic wellbeing and access to healthcare is limited. We therefore analysed how rural residents of three South African provinces changed their behaviour during the first epidemic wave.MethodsThe South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) nodes in Mpumalanga (Agincourt), KwaZulu-Natal (AHRI) and Limpopo (DIMAMO) provinces conducted longitudinal telephone surveys among randomly sampled households from rural and peri-urban surveillance populations every 2-3 weeks. Interviews included questions on: Covid-19 knowledge and behaviours; health and economic impact of NPIs; and mental health.Results2262 households completed 10,966 interviews between April and August 2020. By August, self-reported satisfaction with Covid-19 knowledge had risen from 48% to 85% and facemask use to over 95%. As selected NPIs were eased mobility increased, and economic losses and anxiety and depression symptoms fell. When Covid-19 cases spiked at one node in July, movement dropped rapidly, and missed daily medication rates doubled. Economic concerns and mental health symptoms were lower in households receiving a greater number of government-funded old-age pensions.ConclusionsSouth Africans reported complying with stringent Covid-19 NPIs despite the threat of substantial social, economic and health repercussions. Government-supported social welfare programmes appeared to buffer interruptions in income and healthcare access during local outbreaks. Epidemic control policies must be balanced against impacts on wellbeing in resource-limited settings and designed with parallel support systems where they threaten income and basic service access.

Liver steatosis, metabolically healthy obesity and ten-year cardiovascular disease risk: results from a population based cohort study

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.2643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

M Kouvari ◽

C Chrysohoou ◽

E Georgousopoulou ◽

J Skoumas ◽

C Pitsavos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Liver Steatosis ◽

Metabolic Status ◽

Discriminative Ability ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Metabolically Healthy ◽

Abstract Background/Introduction Inclusion of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a component of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or a criterion for defining metabolically healthy vs. unhealthy obese (MHO vs MUO) status remains to be decided. Purpose The present work evaluated the role of NAFLD at baseline in the transition of MHO to MUO status, and its role in predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence ten years later. Methods A prospective longitudinal study was performed between 2001 and 2012 studying 1,514 (49·8%) men and 1,528 (50.2%) women (>18 years old) free of CVD at baseline and residing in the greater Athens area, Greece. Follow-up assessment of first fatal/non fatal CVD event (2011–2012) was achieved in n=2,020 participants (n=317 cases). Healthy metabolic status was defined as absence of all NCEP ATP III (2005) metabolic syndrome components. NAFLD was defined according to validated liver steatosis indices. Results Among obese participants, MHO prevalence was 9.8% (n=277). Only half of the MHO subjects retained their metabolically healthy status one decade later. NAFLD was an important predictor of this transition; MHO participants with NAFLD at baseline had about two times higher odds to develop unhealthy metabolic status compared with their non-NAFLD counterparts. Subsequently, MHO status accompanied by NAFLD was associated with increased CVD risk (Hazard Ratio=2.90 95%Confidence Interval (1.35, 5.40)) in contrast to their non-NAFLD MHO counterparts. C-statistics revealed that NAFLD significantly increased the discriminative ability of the standardly defined metabolic status (p for C-index change=0.002), yet in the total sample its contribution to the model seemed to be similar with the common metric of central obesity i.e. waist circumference (CNAFLD=0.711 vs. Cwc=0.710). When the analysis was restricted to the obese subset, it was revealed that the discriminative ability of the model adjusted for NAFLD was significantly higher compared with the one adjusted for waist circumference (CNAFLD=0.719 vs. Cwc=0.702). Conclusions Taking under consideration NAFLD – via validated indices – in the clinical assessment of an apparently healthy obese individual contributes to better defining future risk of conversion to metabolically unhealthy obesity and future cardiometabolic risk. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Sleep Duration and Bedtime in the PURE Poland Cohort Study and the Link with Noncommunicable Diseases

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19010403 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 403

Author(s):

Katarzyna Zatońska ◽

Alicja Basiak-Rasała ◽

Katarzyna Połtyn-Zaradna ◽

Krystian Kinastowski ◽

Andrzej Szuba

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Relative Risk ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Noncommunicable Diseases ◽

Pressure Measurements ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Obesity Hypertension ◽

Lower Silesia

(1) Background: The objective was to investigate the association between sleep duration, bedtime, and noncommunicable diseases in the PURE Poland cohort study. (2) Methods: The baseline study was conducted in 2007–2010. The study group comprised 2023 adult inhabitants of urban and rural areas in Lower Silesia, Poland. The study protocol included questionnaires, blood pressure measurements, blood draws, and anthropometric measurements. Sleep duration and bedtime were self-reported. (3) Results: The median sleep duration of women was 30 min longer than men (8 h vs. 7.5 h; p = 0.001). The average time of sleep increased along with the age of the participants. A sleep duration of >8 h was more common in rural than in urban participants (40.2% vs. 27.1%; respectively; p < 0.001). The relative risk of diabetes, stroke, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and obesity was significantly higher in participants who went to bed between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. in comparison to those who went to bed between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. (RR 2.23, 95%CI 1.06–4.67; RR 2.52, 95%CI 1.28 to 4.97; RR 1.12, 95%CI 1.04–1.20; RR 1.36; 95%CI 1.1–1.68; RR 1.38; 95%CI 1.15–1.66, respectively). The relative risk of respiratory diseases was two-fold higher in those who went to bed after midnight in comparison to those who went to bed between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. (RR 2.24; 95%CI 1.19–4.22). (4) Conclusions: In our study, an earlier bedtime was associated with a higher risk of diabetes, stroke, obesity, hypertension, and CVD.

Non-communicable diseases in the southwest of Iran: profile and baseline data from the Shahrekord PERSIAN Cohort Study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-12326-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ali Ahmadi ◽

Majid Shirani ◽

Arsalan Khaledifar ◽

Morteza Hashemzadeh ◽

Kamal Solati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Large Scale ◽

Research Collaboration ◽

Fasting Blood Glucose ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Baseline Data ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Southwest Of Iran

Abstract Background Critical inter-provincial differences within Iran in the pattern of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and difficulties inherent to identifying prevention methods to reduce mortality from NCDs have challenged the implementation of the provincial health system plan. The Shahrekord Cohort Study (SCS) was designed to address these gaps in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, a province of high altitude in the southwest of Iran, characterized by its large Bakhtiari population, along with Fars and Turk ethnicity groups. Methods This ongoing cohort, a prospective, large-scale longitudinal study, includes a unique, rich biobank and was conducted for the first time in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in Iran. SCS is a part of the PERSIAN (Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN) cohort. The study began in 2015, recruited 10075 participants (52.8% female, 47.2% male) from both urban (n=7034) and rural (n=3041) areas, and participants will be annually followed up for at least 15 years. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from the SCS, using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Data analysis was performed using Stata software. Results The prevalence of NCDs was 9.8% for type 2 diabetes, 17.1% for hypertension, 11.6% for thyroid disease, 0.2% for multiple sclerosis and 5.7, 0.9 and 1.3% for ischemic heart disease, stroke and myocardial infarction, respectively. The prevalence of multimorbidity (≥2 NCDs) was higher in women (39.1%) than men (24.9%). The means (standard deviations) of age, BMI, systolic blood pressure and fasting blood glucose were 49.5 (9) years, 27.6 (4.6) kg/m2, 115.4 (17.3) mmHg and 96.7 (27.3) mg/dL, respectively. Logistic regression models showed that older age, female gender, living in an urban area, non-native ethnicity, high wealth index, unemployment, obesity, low physical activity, hypertriglyceridemia, high fasting blood sugar, alkaline urine pH and high systolic and diastolic blood pressure were associated with increased prevalence of NCDs. Conclusions The SCS provides a platform for epidemiological studies that will be useful to better control NCDs in the southwest of Iran and to foster research collaboration. The SCS will be an essential resource for identifying NCD risk factors in this region and designing relevant public health interventions.

A Multidisciplinary Prematurity Research Cohort Study

10.1101/2021.09.28.21264264 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Molly J Stout ◽

Jessica Chubiz ◽

Nandini Raghuraman ◽

Peinan Zhao ◽

Methodius G Tuuli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Circadian Rhythms ◽

Live Birth ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Background Worldwide, 10% of babies are born preterm, defined as a live birth before 37 weeks of gestation. Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal death, and survivors face lifelong risks of adverse outcomes. New approaches with large sample sizes are needed to identify strategies to predict and prevent preterm birth. The primary aims of the Washington University Prematurity Research Cohort Study were to conduct three prospective projects addressing possible causes of preterm birth and provide data and samples for future research. Study Design Pregnant patients were recruited into the cohort between January 2017 and January 2020. Consenting patients were enrolled into the study before 20 weeks' gestation and followed through delivery. Participants completed demographic and lifestyle surveys; provided maternal blood, placenta samples, and cord blood; and participated in up to three projects focused on underlying physiology of preterm birth: cervical imaging (Project 1), circadian rhythms (Project 2), and uterine magnetic resonance imaging and electromyometrial imaging (Project 3). Results A total of 1260 participants were enrolled and delivered during the study period. Of the participants, 706 (56%) were Black/African American, 494 (39%) were nulliparous, and 185 (15%) had a previous preterm birth. Of the 1260 participants, 1220 (97%) delivered a live infant. Of the 1220 with a live birth, 163 (14.1%) had preterm birth, of which 74 (6.1%) were spontaneous preterm birth. Of the 1220 participants with a live birth, 841 participated in cervical imaging, 1047 contributed data and/or samples on circadian rhythms, and 39 underwent uterine magnetic resonance imaging. Of the 39, 25 underwent electromyometrial imaging. Conclusion We demonstrate feasibility of recruiting and retaining a diverse cohort in a complex prospective, longitudinal study throughout pregnancy. The extensive clinical, imaging, survey, and biologic data obtained will be used to explore cervical, uterine, and endocrine physiology of preterm birth and can be used to develop novel approaches to predict and prevent preterm birth.

UNICORNS: Uveitis in childhood prospective national cohort study protocol

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.26689.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 1196

Author(s):

Salomey Kellett ◽

Jugnoo S Rahi ◽

Andrew D. Dick ◽

Rachel Knowles ◽

Valerija Tadić ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Structural Damage ◽

Patient Reported Outcome Measures ◽

Population Based ◽

Term Outcome ◽

Long Term Outcome ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Prospective Longitudinal ◽

The Impact

Background: Childhood uveitis is a rare inflammatory eye disease which is typically chronic, relapsing-remitting in nature, with an uncertain aetiology (idiopathic). Visual loss occurs due to structural damage caused by uncontrolled inflammation. Understanding of the determinants of long term outcome is lacking, including the predictors of therapeutic response or how to define disease control. Aims: To describe disease natural history and outcomes amongst a nationally representative group of children with non-infectious uveitis, describe the impact of disease course on quality of life for both child and family, and identify determinants of adverse visual, structural and developmental outcomes. Methods: UNICORNS is a prospective longitudinal multicentre cohort study of children newly diagnosed with uveitis about whom a core minimum clinical dataset will be collected systematically. Participants and their families will also complete patient-reported outcome measures annually from recruitment. The association of patient (child- and treatment- dependent) characteristics with outcome will be investigated using logistic and ordinal regression models which incorporate adjustment for within-child correspondence between eyes for those with bilateral disease and repeated outcomes measurement. Discussion: Through this population based, prospective longitudinal study of childhood uveitis, we will describe the characteristics of childhood onset disease. Early (1-2 years following diagnosis) outcomes will be described in the first instance, and through the creation of a national inception cohort, longer term studies will be enabled of outcome for affected children and families.