Figure 3.

Cross-sectional analysis of clinically detected conjunctival inflammation (A) and ocular staging using Mondino (B) and Foster (C) systems in the worst eye at presentation, 12 months and 24 months follow-up in the EOD (■) and EstD groups (□). Differences in the extent of conjunctival inflammation and stage of disease were compared between the two groups by rank correlation using Kendal’s tau b. At 12 months follow-up, inflammation had resolved in the majority of eyes within both groups, and there were no patients with severe inflammation. By 24 months, 30% of the remaining patients at the tertiary centres had residual inflammation not responsive to treatment. Note that patients in the EstD had more advanced stage of disease compared with the EOD throughout the follow-up period, but there was no difference in the progression rate (worsening of clinical stage of disease) between the two groups.

NB 14 patients had been referred back to their original hospital by 24 months and 1 had died. These patients have been excluded from the analysis thereby accounting for the apparent increase in the percentage of patients at stage 1 and decrease in the percentage of patients at stage 4 disease during the 12 and 24 months according to the Mondino staging system.