title: Health- and vision-related quality of life in patients receiving infliximab therapy for Behcet uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the changes in health-related and vision-related quality of life (HR-QoL and VR-QoL) in patients with Behçet uveitis (BU) receiving infliximab therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with recurrent BU attacks were enrolled. All patients were treated with infliximab. We evaluated the mean number of uveitis attacks and the mean score of extraocular manifestations by Behçet disease current activity form (BDCAF) during the 6 months before and the 6 and 12 months after initiation of infliximab. The EuroQol-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) were self-administered in all patients before treatment and, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Patients' pre- and post-treatment EQ-5D and NEI VFQ-25 scores were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the 6- and 12-month follow-up, the frequency of uveitis attacks and the BDCAF scores was significantly decreased compared with the 6 months before starting infliximab (p<0.0001). Fully completed questionnaires were received from all patients. Infliximab therapy was associated with a significant improvement of the EQ-5D (p<0.0001), NEI VFQ-25 composite score (p=0.0001), general health score (p=0.0001) and mental health score (p=0.0001). This result shows a significant decrease in inflammatory activity of the disease and consequently improvement in HR-QoL and VR-QoL scores with a rising response pattern in all dimensions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relief of uveitis attacks and extraocular manifestations by infliximab therapy significantly improved the HR-QoL and VR-QoL in patients with BU.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. ski1124@live.jp
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Sakai
authors: Hiroka
authors: H
authors: Watanabe
authors: Kana
authors: K
authors: Kuroyanagi
authors: Goichi
authors: G
authors: Akiyama
authors: Kiichiro
authors: K
authors: Okano
authors: Hideo
authors: H
authors: Kohno
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Tsuneoka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab