title: Sulfasalazine in the prevention of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of sulfasalazine in preventing recurrences and reducing the severity of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis and chronic intestinal inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis were studied. Ten patients were randomised to receive oral sulfasalazine (group 1) and 12 patients randomised to no treatment (group 2); all were followed for 3 years. Blood-aqueous barrier permeability was determined by fluorophotometry and bowel biopsies were taken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the number of recurrences of uveitis (p = 0.016). The blood-aqueous barrier permeability was significantly higher during acute attacks in group 2 (group 1: 31.3 +/- 26.4 x 10(-4) min-1 vs group 2: 66.2 +/- 28.5 x 10(-4) min-1; p = 0.019) but not during the disease-free period. We observed a higher incidence of chronic intestinal inflammation at the end of the study in group 2 (group 1: 3/8 vs group 2: 7/9, p = 0.153). No relation was observed between blood-aqueous barrier permeability and the number of recurrences. The number of patients with severe persistent posterior synechiae at the end of the study was higher in group 2 (group 1: 4 patients before and 4 patients at the end; group 2: 4 patients before and 8 patients at the end; p = 0.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sulfasalazine may be beneficial in preventing recurrences and reducing the severity of anterior uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Investigaciones Oftalmologicas Ramon Castroviejo, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Benitez-Del-Castillo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garcia-Sanchez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iradier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bañares
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications*; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D012460:Sulfasalazine