title: Refractory retinal vasculitis due to sarcoidosis successfully treated with infliximab.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by granulomatous infiltration of several organs. Up to two- thirds of patients develop ocular inflammation eventually leading to significant visual loss. Treatment includes corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, but refractory cases do occur. In this report, the authors describe two patients with multi-systemic sarcoidosis and refractory retinal vasculitis who experienced an excellent response to infliximab. This report emphasizes the importance of TNF-alpha in the pathophysiology of this disease and warrants further studies with anti-TNF therapy in patients with refractory ocular sarcoidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Biocor Instituto, Nova Lima, Brazil. boriscruz@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Boris A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Dorothy D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Célia Aparecida A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Araujo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D042262:Retinoscopy; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab