The use of low-dose azathioprine in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate treatment outcomes with low-dose azathioprine in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease patients.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Medical records of consecutive patients with VKH disease were reviewed. Azathioprine was administered in cases with corticosteroid intolerance or uncontrolled inflammation. Corticosteroid sparing effect, visual acuity, corticosteroid dose, and complication rates were evaluated.


RESULTS
Sixteen of 34 VKH patients included in this study underwent azathioprine therapy with systemic corticosteroid. Six patients received azathioprine in the acute uveitic phase and 10 patients in the chronic recurrent phase. A corticosteroid sparing effect was achieved in 86.5% of patients given azathioprine in the acute uveitic phase and 90.0% of patients given in the chronic recurrent phase. Median time to corticosteroid sparing effect was 3.5 months. Twelve of 16 patients showed improved activity in 1 month after initiation of azathioprine therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose azathioprine therapy may be effective as corticosteroid sparing agent in VKH disease.
Kim
Sang Jin
SJ
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Yu
Hyeong Gon
HG
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001379:Azathioprine