title: Interferon Alpha-2a Therapy in Patients with Refractory Behçet Uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the results of IFNα2a therapy in patients with Behçet uveitis refractory to azathioprine-cyclosporine combination treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study, 39 patients treated with either azathioprine-cyclosporine combination treatment (group 1, n = 23) or IFNα2a (group 2, n = 16) with a diagnosis of ocular Behçet disease (BD), were included in the study. Group 2 consisted of patients who did not respond to conventional combination therapy, and were therefore treated with IFNα2a. Clinical response and relapse rates were recorded for each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of uveitis attacks/year per patient was 0.8 ± 1.6 in Group 1. In Group 2, a significant decrease in the mean number of uveitis attacks/year per patient was observed after initiation of IFNα2a (2.4 ± 1.8 vs 1.3 ± 2.0) (p<0.05). When the two groups were compared after administration of IFNα2a therapy, no statistical difference was found in terms of uveitis attack/year and attack-free intervals, with a partial response to both treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFNα2a therapy is an effective alternative for Behçet uveitis patients where conventional combination therapy fails.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasanreisoglu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ozgur
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Cubuk
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Sengul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdek
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gurelik
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , School of Medicine, Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Berati
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasanreisoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine
keywords: Azathioprine; Behçet; IFNα2a; cyclosporine; uveitis