[The short-term efficacy and safety treatment study of recurrent uveitis in Behcet disease with etanercept].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of etanercept for recurrent Behcet disease (BD).


METHODS
Retrospective review of 12 recurrent BD uveitis patients (16 eyes) who were followed up in Department of Ophthalmology and Department of Rheumatology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital during April 2007 to June 2008 and received etanercept for treatment of uveitis. On the basis of conventional corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, subcutaneous injection of 25 mg etanercept twice per week was instituted initially, followed by a tapering to once per week based on efficacy and economic consideration. Complete ocular examination including visual acuity, intraocular pressure, anterior segment and fundus conditions were well documented at base line and at each visit. Fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, ocular B ultrasound were conducted when necessary. Endpoint of observation: substantial improvement of ocular inflammation or etanercept treatment was stopped for various reasons.


RESULTS
Of 12 patients, 9 had shown improvement on visual acuity at least in one eye, although 3 of them did not show improvement. At end point, as compared to base line, of 16 eyes, 10 (63%) had better visual acuity, 6 (37%) had the same visual acuity, and none decreased; substantial improvement or remission of both anterior and posterior segment inflammation were observed for all patients. No serious adverse reaction was observed during follow up.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, etanercept has good short term efficacy and safety for recurrent BD uveitis.
Zhang
Mei-fen
MF
Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Zhao
Chan
C
Wen
Xin
X
Du
Hong
H
Zhao
Yan
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept