OCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC DISEASES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS: CLINICAL AND OPHTHALMOLOGICAL EVALUATION

Abstract

Ocular manifestations of systemic diseases in pediatric patients represent a diagnostic challenge for healthcare professionals. The occurrence of eye diseases in children may be associated with several systemic conditions, such as autoimmune, infectious, metabolic and neoplastic diseases. Early identification of these manifestations is essential to institute appropriate treatment and prevent visual sequelae. A complete ophthalmological evaluation, combined with a detailed clinical history and complementary exams, plays a crucial role in this process. Objective: The objective of this systematic literature review was to identify and analyze studies that investigated the ocular manifestations of systemic diseases in pediatric patients, focusing on clinical and ophthalmological assessment. Methodology: A systematic review of the literature was carried out, following the recommendations of the PRISMA statement, in the PubMed, Scielo and Web of Science databases. The search was carried out using the following descriptors: “ocular manifestations”, “systemic diseases”, “pediatrics”, “clinical evaluation” and “ophthalmology”. Original articles published in the last 10 years were included, which addressed the clinical and ophthalmological evaluation of children with ocular manifestations associated with systemic diseases. Review studies, case reports, animal studies and articles that were not available in full were excluded. Results: The search resulted in a significant number of articles, which addressed various systemic diseases with ocular manifestations in children, such as autoimmune diseases (juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), infectious diseases (congenital syphilis, toxoplasmosis), metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus) and neoplastic (leukemia). Studies have identified a wide range of ocular manifestations, including uveitis, conjunctivitis, retinopathy, papillary edema, and orbital changes. Detailed clinical and ophthalmological evaluation, associated with complementary exams such as optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography, was essential for the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients. Conclusion: The ocular manifestations of systemic diseases in pediatric patients are diverse and can affect children's quality of life. Regular ophthalmological evaluation is essential for the early detection of these changes and for the initiation of appropriate treatment. Collaboration between pediatricians, ophthalmologists and other medical specialties is essential to ensure an accurate diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of these patients. The results of this systematic review demonstrate the importance of research in this area, with the aim of improving knowledge about the ocular manifestations of systemic diseases in children and contributing to improving the care of these patients.