title: Efficacy of immunomodulatory therapy with interferon-β or glatiramer acetate on multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the role of interferon-β or glatiramer acetate in reducing the inflammatory episodes of intra-ocular inflammation in multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted on a non-randomised, retrospective case series of 13 patients with proven multiple sclerosis and uveitis (minimum follow-up, 12 months). All patients were given immunomodulatory treatment (interferon-β or glatiramer acetate) to control the course of the multiple sclerosis. Patients were compared to themselves before initiating the treatment, in order to assess the difference in uveitis episodes. The main outcome measurements were the number of uveitis episodes with/without immunomodulatory treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Uveitis was bilateral in 10 (77%) out of 13 patients. Intermediate uveitis was observed in 11 patients, retinal vasculitis in 3 patients, and one patient was classified as a posterior uveitis. The patients had a mean of 4.15±3.1 episodes of uveitis (range 1-10) during the follow-up period (148.6±84.3 months). When compared to their pre-treatment status, patients on treatment with interferon-β or glatiramer acetate showed a significant decrease of 0.36 episodes of ocular inflammation per year (P=.02). Mild side effects related to immunomodulatory treatment were observed in 6 (46%) patients, 3 (23%) patients with a flu-like syndrome, and 3 (23%) patients with a skin rash.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interferon β or glatiramer acetate could be effective in reducing the uveitis episodes in patients with multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis, and was well tolerated in most patients.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: dvvilloria@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velazquez-Villoria
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macia-Badia
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Segura-García
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pastor Idoate
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arcos-Algaba
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Velez-Escola
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Vall de Hebron, Barcelona, España; Departamento de Oftlamología, Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Arumí
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056747:Immunomodulation; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D031300:Retinal Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014605:Uveitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Acetato de glatirámero; Esclerosis múltiple; Glatiramer acetate; Interferon-β; Interferón-β; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis; Uveitis; Uveítis; Uveítis asociada a esclerosis múltiple