Sulfasalazine reduces the number of flares of acute anterior uveitis over a one-year period.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of sulfasalazine (SSZ) in the prevention of recurrent flares of acute anterior uveitis (AAU).


METHODS
We included patients seen from June 1997 to October 2000 in this prospective, open, longitudinal study who fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: either (1) > or = 3 flares of AAU in the previous year or (2) > or = 2 recurrences of uveitis within 3 months before starting the trial. We excluded uveitis of infectious or malignant origin or patients with contraindications to the drug. The response criteria were defined as absence of symptoms and the presence of a normal ophthalmologic examination. The major outcome was the number of flares of uveitis over a one-year period compared in the same group of patients with the flares along the previous year without SSZ.


RESULTS
Three hundred ninety-four patients with uveitis were evaluated during the period of the study and 10 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean number of flares in the pre-SSZ year was 3.4 (SD 0.5), which was significantly reduced to 0.9 (SD 1.1) in the year of treatment (p = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
SSZ treatment seems to reduce the number of flares over a one year period in patients with recurrent AAU.
Muñoz-Fernández
Santiago
S
Rheumatology Unit, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. smunoz.hulp@salud.madrid.org
Hidalgo
Ventura
V
Fernández-Melón
Julia
J
Schlincker
Armelle
A
Bonilla
Gema
G
Ruiz-Sancho
Dolores
D
Fonseca
Agustín
A
Gijón-Baños
Juan
J
Martín-Mola
Emilio
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012460:Sulfasalazine