title: Efficacy and tolerability of interferon alpha treatment in patients with chronic cystoid macular oedema due to non-infectious uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and tolerability of interferon (IFN) alpha in chronic cystoid macular oedema (CMO) due to non-infectious uveitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of an interventional case series. IFN alpha-2a was administered at an initial dose of 3 or 6 million IU per day subcutaneously and tapered afterwards to the lowest possible dose to maintain the absence of CMO. Treatment efficacy was assessed by optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four patients with chronic CMO (median duration 36.0 months) due to non-infectious anterior (n = 2), intermediate (n = 18) or posterior (n = 4) uveitis have been analysed. Ineffective pretreatment included systemic corticosteroids (all patients), acetazolamide (22 patients) and at least one immunosuppressive drug (18 patients). IFN therapy was shown to be effective (= complete resolution of CMO within 3 months, able to taper IFN) in 15 patients (62.5%), partly effective (= incomplete resolution of CMO, unable to taper IFN) in six patients (25.0%) and not effective (= no response or recurrence of CMO) in three patients (12.5%). IFN treatment was generally well tolerated. Common side effects including flu-like symptoms, fatigue or increased liver enzymes were dose-dependent and led to discontinuation of IFN in only one patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data demonstrate IFN alpha to be an effective and well-tolerated therapy for chronic refractory uveitic CMO.
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Schleichstrasse 12-16, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. christoph.deuter@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: C M E
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Deuter
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kötter
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Günaydin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stübiger
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Doycheva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zierhut