Interferon alpha-2a treatment for serpiginous choroiditis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the management and long-term outcome of patients with serpiginous choroiditis (SPC) treated with interferon (IFN) alpha-2a.


METHODS
Prospective, non-comparative case series.


METHODS
Five patients (8 eyes) with active vision-threatening SPC, who failed to respond and/or presented with side effects to the combination of steroid-cyclosporin-A or chlorambucil, at a tertiary care referral center.


METHODS
The patients were treated with IFN alpha-2a (4,500,000 IU, 3 times a week for the first 3 months, followed by once a week for the next 3 months). Prednisone was also given initially, then tapered and discontinued.


METHODS
Visual acuity, control of inflammation, duration of drug-free disease remission, and side effects of IFN alpha-2a therapy.


RESULTS
Argon laser photocoagulation (ALP) was applied in three eyes with extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membrane (CNM). All active lesions, including complicating subfoveal CNM in one eye, resolved within six months. The patients had no recurrences and recovered (4 out of 8; 50%) or maintained (4 out of 8; 50%) useful vision during the 16-48-month follow-up. Except for flu-like symptoms at the beginning of the therapy, no noticeable adverse reaction was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
IFN alpha-2a seems to be a novel treatment option for SPC. In the five patients (8 eyes) with SPC, who were intolerant or unresponsive to the combination of steroid-cyclosporin-A or chlorambucil, IFN alpha-2a treatment prevented recurrences and stabilized the lesions during the long-term follow-up (16-48 months). These promising results support the use of this mode of therapy in controlled clinical trials.
Sobaci
Güngör
G
Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical School Ankara Turkey.
Bayraktar
Zeki
Z
Bayer
Atilla
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002833:Choroiditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014792:Visual Acuity
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins