Anti-inflammatory treatment of uveitis with biologicals: new treatment options that reflect pathogenetic knowledge of the disease.
BACKGROUND
Endogenous uveitis is a sight-threatening disease. In addition to corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents are commonly used to treat patients with severe course. Immunosuppressive drugs act nonspecifically, rather than providing a specific interaction with the critical pathogenetic pathways of uveitis. Better knowledge of the basic mechanisms underlying uveitis and of the molecules that are important for regulating inflammation has helped to create new and more specific treatment approaches. Biological therapy for inflammatory diseases employs substances that interfere with specific molecules or pathways induced in the body during the inflammatory process.


METHODS
This review gives an overview on molecules that play a critical role in the pathogenetic process of uveitis, as has been observed in patients or the respective animal models, and summarizes the current experience with biologicals for the treatment of uveitis refractive to conventional immunosuppressives.
Heiligenhaus
Arnd
A
Department of Ophthalmology at St. Franziskus Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen, Hohenzollernring 74, 48145, Muenster, Germany. arnd.heiligenhaus@uveitis-zentrum.de
Thurau
Stephan
S
Hennig
Maren
M
Grajewski
Rafael S
RS
Wildner
Gerhild
G
D000068879:Adalimumab; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001691:Biological Therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D007378:Interleukins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007378:Interleukins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept