[Indication and effect of immunosuppression in patients with scleritis].
OBJECTIVE
The value of immunosuppressive drugs for the therapy of scleritis patients is unclear. The authors investigated the indications and effects of immunosuppression in a group of patients with scleral inflammation.


METHODS
Retrospective study of patients treated for scleritis (n = 87) or episcleritis (n = 18). The demographic factors, clinical symptoms, visual outcome, course of inflammation, ocular complications resulting from inflammation, topical and systemic antiinflammatory medication, and associated systemic diseases were analysed.


RESULTS
Only one patient with episcleritis, but 37 with scleritis presented with ocular complications (P = 0.003). The vision was impaired in 15 patients with scleritis, but not in episcleritis patients (P = 0.022). In the group of patients with episcleritis, only those with frequent relapses required more than topical antiinflammatory drugs, especially systemic non-steroidals. In contrast, systemic therapy was indicated in all of the scleritis patients. Ocular complications were found more often in patients with necrotising (n = 7/10) or posterior scleritis (n = 10/11) than in those with diffuse (9/39) or nodular (11/27) scleritis. Compared with the other patients, associated systemic autoimmune diseases were more common in patients with necrotising scleritis (P = 0.03). The need for immunosuppression was associated with vision-threatening complications (glaucoma, uveitis, peripheral ulcerative keratitis) (P < 0.01), systemic autoimmune disease, and necrotising and posterior form of scleritis (P < 0.01). Quiescence of scleritis was obtained in 59 of the scleritis patients, and improvement of inflammation was achieved in further 21. In 26 patients, scleritis did not improve with systemic steroid or non-steroidal treatment, but with immunosuppression.


CONCLUSIONS
Scleritis is often associated with life-threatening systemic diseases and vision-threatening ocular complications. In patients with severe scleritis, especially with the posterior and necrotising form, improvement can often be achieved with immunosuppression.
Heiligenhaus
Arnd
A
Augenabteilung am St.-Franziskus-Hospital, Münster. arnd.heiligenhaus@t-online.de
Dück
Nadine
N
Michel
Delia
D
Hudde
Tobias
T
Koch
Jörg
J
Steuhl
Klaus Peter
KP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015423:Scleritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate