title: Long-term efficacy of infliximab on background vascular leakage in patients with Behçet's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of infliximab over the initial 4 years of treatment on inflammatory ocular attacks and background retinal/disc vascular leakage in patients with refractory uveoretinitis associated with Behçet's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical records of nine patients were retrospectively reviewed. The main outcomes analyzed were frequency of ocular inflammatory attacks, background retinal and disc vascular leakage as assessed by fluorescein angiography during periods of clinical quiescence, best-corrected visual acuity, and adverse effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up on infliximab was 50 months (range 48-58 months). Mean frequency of attacks decreased significantly in years 1, 2, 3, and 4 compared with the baseline 1-year period before infliximab use. Mean background retinal and disc vascular leakage scores also decreased significantly at the end of each 1-year period compared with baseline. Visual acuity improved or was unchanged at the end of 4 years in 17 of 18 eyes. No serious adverse effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infliximab reduced the mean frequency of ocular attacks and mean background retinal/disc vascular leakage in a long-term sustained manner over 4 years of treatment in Behçet's disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keino
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Taki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069285:Infliximab