Anti-TNF-alpha therapy for sight threatening uveitis.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the effect of additional treatment with anti-TNF-alpha therapy in a case series of 13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis.


METHODS
13 patients with serious sight threatening uveitis were included, of whom six had Behçet's disease, five had idiopathic posterior uveitis, one had sarcoidosis, and one birdshot retinochoroiditis. Onset and course of ocular inflammation, inflammatory signs, and visual acuity were assessed. Patients were treated with 200 mg (approximately 3 mg/kg) infliximab infusion. Repeat infusions were given based on clinical response.


RESULTS
Infliximab treatment resulted in an effective suppression of ocular inflammation in all patients. In patients with non-Behcet's disease uveitis visual acuity in six out of eight improved or was stable. In patients with Behcet's disease visual acuity in five out of six improved or was stable.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-TNF-alpha treatment may be of value in the treatment of uveitis, and in patients with Behçet's disease, leading to suppression of ocular inflammation, vasculitis, and improvement of vision in the majority. Based on these results a controlled masked study is warranted.
Lindstedt
E W
EW
The Eye Hospital Rotterdam, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Netherlands. elindstedt@oogziekenhuis.nl
Baarsma
G S
GS
Kuijpers
R W A M
RW
van Hagen
P M
PM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015866:Uveitis, Posterior / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab