title: Analysis of uveitis rates across all etanercept ankylosing spondylitis clinical trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess uveitis (including iritis and iridocyclitis) incidence from clinical trials of etanercept in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trials of etanercept in AS (four placebo-controlled; one active-controlled; three open-label) were examined for reports of uveitis. Between-group differences with confidence intervals (CIs) in the uveitis rates were calculated for the double-blind, active-controlled and long-term studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In placebo-controlled trials, the uveitis rate per 100 subject years (95% CI) for etanercept (8.6 (4.5 to 14.2)) was lower than that for placebo (19.3 (11.0 to 29.8), p = 0.03). In the active comparator trial, rates for etanercept and sulfasalazine were similar (10.7 (5.5 to 17.6) and 14.7 (6.4 to 26.5), respectively; p = 0.49). The long-term rate for etanercept, estimated from both placebo-controlled and open-label extension studies was 12.0 (10.0 to 14.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In subjects with AS, rates of uveitis events with etanercept were lower than with placebo in placebo-controlled trials and similar to sulfasalazine in an active comparator trial.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Med Klinik I - Rheumatologie, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. Joachim.sieper@charite.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sieper
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wishneski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foehl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vlahos
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Freundlich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012107:Research Design; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept