Behçet Üveitinde İnterferon-Alfa-2a Tedavisi Sonuçları

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of interferon-alpha-2a (IFNα-2a) therapy in patients with Behçet uveitis. Material and Methods: The patients who were treated with IFNα-2a therapy due to Behçet uveitis refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapies were evaluated retrospectively. The visual acuities, activity of ocular inflammation were recorded at each visit during the follow-up and ocular and systemic side effects were also monitored. The paired sample t-test was used in comparison of pre- and postIFNα-2a visual acuity values. Results: Twenty-five patients (23 males and 2 females) with refractory Behçet uveitis were included in this study. The average patient age at the time of diagnosis was 28.96±7.56 years. The mean follow-up period after the initiation of IFNα-2a therapy was 18.16±12.12 months. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the last visit before IFNα-2a therapy was 0.48±0.32 in the right eye and 0.44±0.38 in the left eye. At the end of follow-up, the mean BCVA was 0,61 ± 0.36 in the right and 0.60 ± 0.38 in the left, which improved with IFNα-2a therapy in both eyes (p=0.010, p=0.003; respectively). The mean number of uveitis attacks per year was 2.74±0.96 before the IFNα-2a therapy. During the IFNα-2a therapy period, mean 1.17 uveitis attacks per year were observed in 6 patients. The complete or partial remission was achieved in 22 (88%) patients with IFNα-2a treatment. The IFNα-2a therapy was discontinued due to complete remission in 5 (20%) patients during follow-up. In 3 patients (treatment failure in 2 and progressive weight loss in 1), switch to anti-tumor necrosis factor was recommended. Conclusion: Interferon alpha-2a treatment is an effective and safe treatment option in Turkish population with Behçet uveitis refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapies.