title: Quality of life in non-infectious uveitis patients on immunosuppressive therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess visual function and vision related quality of life in patients with non-infectious posterior or panuveitis treated with immunosuppressives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three patients with non-inflammatory posterior or panuveitis were enrolled in this prospective study. All subjects underwent a detailed interview, complete ophthalmic examination, quality of life assessment using National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25), visual function evaluation (visual acuity and visual field) at baseline and at a sixth month follow up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean NEI-VFQ 25 composite score of the subjects with posterior or panuveitis was 58.0 (± 24.1). There was a statistically significant improvement (P = 0.004) in the composite score following treatment from 58.0 (± 24.1) to 74.3 (± 22.0) with effect size of 1.03. The psychological well-being and general health subscales showed significant improvement in the mean score following immunosuppressive therapy. While considering the visual function tests, there was a three-line improvement in the visual acuity score and changeover in the visual field severity from moderate to early defect with corresponding improvement in the visual field pattern. Though most of the patients complained of side effects such as tiredness, gastrointestinal upset and weight gain, there was improvement in the general health subscale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant improvement in the general health subscale despite side-effects shows that the benefit of immunosuppressive outweighs the risks of the therapy and this may also reflect the relatively low impact of these side-effects on the quality of life. This study shows that the use of immunosuppressives improves the quality of life of the individual.
authors.affiliation: Department of Uveitis, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Sheik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaleemunnisha
authors.affiliation: Department of Uveitis, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudharshan
authors.affiliation: Department of Uveitis, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Jyotirmay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Corticosteroids; Immunosuppressives; Non-Infectious Uveitis; Quality of Life; Visual Function Questionnaire
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Sep;140(3):509-16
references.pmid: 16196117
references.citation: Ophthalmol Clin North Am. 2005 Dec;18(4):511-28, vi
references.pmid: 16314216
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2000 Oct;130(4):492-513
references.pmid: 11024423
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Jun;119(6):841-9
references.pmid: 11405835
references.citation: Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2003 Dec;14(6):399-412
references.pmid: 14615647
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 2005 Aug;112(8):1472-7
references.pmid: 16061096
references.citation: Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2006 Dec;14(6):325-32
references.pmid: 17162602
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 2005 May;123(5):634-41
references.pmid: 15883282
references.citation: Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2008 Jan-Feb;15(1):47-55
references.pmid: 18300089
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 2002 Sep;120(9):1136-41
references.pmid: 12215086
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Jul;119(7):1050-8
references.pmid: 11448327