Complications Of Uveitis Research Articles

Uveitic Secondary Glaucoma

An intraocular pressure increase with development of glaucomatous damage is a common complication of uveitis. The prevalence has a wide range depending on various factors such as the underlying uveitis type and the duration of the disease. Pathogenetically, a distinction must be made between a secondary angle closure component and the more frequently occurring open-angle glaucoma. In diagnostics, in addition to the clinical optic nerve head assessment, perimetry and tonometry, the use of imaging examination equipment, such as OCT and HRT, are recommended. In the context of uveitic glaucoma, it must be considered in the evaluation, because the glaucoma-typical changes are generally less pronounced or can be concealed by retinal swelling in comparison with other forms of glaucoma. Therapeutically, drug therapy in the form of eye drops continues to be a first-line recommendation, with the use of topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors or beta-blockers primarily preferred, depending on the contraindications. An operative therapy follows after unsuccessful or inadequate conservative therapy: the adequate surgical technique depends on the respective finding and includes actually techniques such as filtering procedures and glaucoma drainage devices.

Cataracts in Uveitis

Cataracts are a frequent complication of uveitis, and their management can be challenging. Operation planning requires knowledge of the cause (e.g., infectious versus noninfectious) and course of uveitis, including any intraocular comorbidities (e.g., macular edema). Preoperative patient selection is particularly important in uveitis patients to achieve good surgical results. Steroid-sparing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can reduce the rate of postoperative complications and can improve visual acuity. Before the operation, a stable inactivity of intraocular inflammation must be achieved. The surgical approach should be minimally invasive. Intraocular lens implantation should only be performed under stable inflammatory control. By using intraocular corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone acetonide implant, triamcinolone acetonide) the complication rate can be reduced. Postoperatively, the additional anti-inflammatory medication should be intensified and continued for up to 3 months. With careful patient selection, planning and execution of cataract surgery and postoperative care, satisfactory anatomical and functional outcomes can be achieved in uveitis patients.

Certification of Vision Impairment in Patients with Uveitis Attending a Specialist Clinic

ABSTRACTPurpose: To identify the causes of severe visual loss in a UK uveitis clinic, to suggest means of reducing incidence, and to propose improvement in data collection of vision impairment.Patients and methods: Retrospective case series.Results: Over 128 months, 76 (3.5–4% of patients referred) were certified as vision-impaired or severely vision-impaired. The mean age at registration was 48.4 years, 76% were of working age, and 7% were children. The diagnosis leading most often to registration was sympathetic ophthalmia and the most frequent uveitis complications were secondary cataract (whether or not operated upon) in 62%, chronic cystoid macular edema in 43%, and secondary glaucoma in 28%. Visual loss was often multifactorial.Conclusions: Severe and permanent visual loss in uveitis affects people predominantly of working age. It is probably underreported and a restructuring of the certificate of vision impairment may improve data collection. Early referral to a tertiary center may reduce the incidence of vision impairment.

Complications in Intermediate Uveitis: Prevalence, Time of Onset, and Effects on Vision in Short-Term and Long-Term Follow-Up

ABSTRACTPurpose: To study the prevalence and time of onset of ocular complications in intermediate uveitis (IU) and to assess their effects on visual outcome in short-term and long-term follow-up.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with IU who had a minimal follow-up of one year.Results: 96 patients (174 eyes, 70% females) were included with a mean age at presentation of 30 years. Children constituted 38% of all patients. Mean follow- up was 64.9 months. Pars planitis was the most common form followed by sarcoidosis and multiple sclerosis. Cystoid macular edema (CME), cataract, epiretinal membrane and posterior synechiae were the most prevalent complications. Posterior synechiae, band keratopathy, cataract and papillitis at presentation were associated with worse presenting visual acuity (VA). Of the late-onset complications, glaucoma/ocular hypertension (OHT) was the most significantly associated with worse long-term VA. Most sight-threatening complications (namely CME and glaucoma) were diagnosed at presentation while late complications predominantly affected the posterior segment and included among others peripheral retinal elevations, vasoproliferative tumors, and vitreous hemorrhage. Median LogMAR VA improved at short-term and long-term follow-up, from 0.2 to 0.1 (p<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed significant VA improvement for eyes with all the different complications except for eyes with glaucoma/OHT.Conclusion: IU is a chronic low-grade uveitis that may be associated with protean early and late complications of the anterior or posterior segments or both. Optimal treatment regimens are imperative for the strict control of inflammation and proper management of complications thus allowing a favorable long-term prognosis.

Pediatric Uveitis.

Pediatric uveitis differs from adult-onset uveitis and is a topic of special interest because of its diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Children with uveitis are often asymptomatic and the uveitis is often chronic, persistent, recurrent, and resistant to conventional treatment. Anterior uveitis is the most common type of uveitis in children; the prevalence of intermediate, posterior, and panuveitis varies geographically and among ethnic groups. Regarding etiology, most cases of pediatric uveitis are idiopathic but can be due to systemic inflammatory disorders, infections, or a manifestation of masquerade syndrome. Ocular complications include cataracts, hypotony or glaucoma, band keratopathy, synechiae formation, macular edema, optic disc edema, choroidal neovascular membranes, and retinal detachment. These complications are often severe, leading to irreversible structural damage and significant visual disability due to delayed presentation and diagnosis, persistent chronic inflammation from suboptimal treatment, topical and systemic corticosteroid dependence, and delayed initiation of systemic disease‒modifying agents. Treatment for noninfectious uveitis is a stepwise approach starting with corticosteroids. Immunomodulatory therapy should be initiated in cases where quiescence cannot be achieved without steroid dependence. Patients should be monitored regularly for complications of uveitis along with systemic and ocular adverse effects from treatments. The goals are to achieve steroid-free durable remission, to reduce the risk of sight-threatening complications from the uncontrolled ocular inflammation, and to avoid the impact of lifelong burden of visual loss on the child and their family. Multidisciplinary management will ensure holistic care of affected children and improve the support for their families.

Tuberculosis and other causes of uveitis in Indonesia.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the causes of uveitis in Indonesia and determine the importance of tuberculosis (TB) as a cause of uveitis.Patients and methodsProspective cohort study examining 146 consecutive new human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with active uveitis between June 2014 and May 2015. We assessed the anatomic locations and specific causes of uveitis, as well as associations with infectious and non-infectious systemic diseases. We determined the prevalence of positive QuantiFERON Tb Gold test (QFT) results in Indonesian patients with uveitis and calculated the number of patients with active systemic TB.ResultsPosterior and panuveitis were the most common anatomic entities (38% each). Infections represented the most frequent cause of uveitis (33%); the most prevalent were toxoplasmosis (19%) and active systemic TB (8%). The majority of patients were QFT positive (61%). A specific diagnosis could not be established in 45% of the patients. At first presentation to the ophthalmologist, the majority of patients (66%) had a visual acuity of less than finger counting at 3 m and already exhibited various complications of uveitis. When classifying the QFT-positive patients with unexplained uveitis into a TB-related group, the percentage of 'TB-associated' uveitis cases increased from 8-48%. Highly elevated QFT levels were observed in patients with uveitis of unknown cause and no signs of active systemic TB.ConclusionsIn Indonesia, infectious uveitis was the most common type of uveitis and the leading causes consisted of toxoplasmosis and TB. The association observed between highly elevated QFT results and uveitis of otherwise unexplained origins indicates that a link exists between the latent TB infection and the development of uveitis.

The Impact and Implication of Peripheral Vascular Leakage on Ultra-Widefield Fluorescein Angiography in Uveitis

ABSTRACTPurpose: To study if peripheral vascular leakage (PVL) on ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFFA) prognosticates complications of uveitis or necessitates treatment augmentation.Methods: Retrospective cohort study of uveitis patients imaged with UWFFA and ≥1 yr of follow-up.Results: We included 73 eyes of 42 patients with uveitis. There was no difference in baseline, intermediate, final visual acuity (p = 0.47–0.95) or rates of cystoid macular edema (CME) (p = 0.37–0.87) in eyes with PVL vs. those without. Eyes with PVL receiving baseline treatment augmentation were more likely to have baseline CME but were not more likely to have impaired visual acuity at final follow-up. PVL was independently associated with treatment augmentation on generalized estimating equation analysis with multivariable linear regression (OR: 4.39, p = 0.015).Conclusions: PVL did not confer an increased risk of impaired VA or CME at ≥1 yr follow-up but was possibly an independent driver of treatment augmentation.

Uveitis of spondyloarthritis in Indian subcontinent: a cross sectional study

Background: The seronegative spondyloarthritis (SpA) are known to have intimate association with ocular inflammatory disease. While anterior uveitis accounts for 50-92% of all cases of uveitis in the West, it ranges between 28 and 50% in the Asian countries. The aim of this study was to document the clinical profile of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis in the Indian subcontinent.Methods: In our hospital based cross sectional study, 166 patients fulfilling Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society’ (ASAS) criteria for spondyloarthritis (SpA) were evaluated for evidence and nature of uveitis, including by a slit lamp bio microscope. The characteristics of Uveitis were defined as per the SUN (Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature) Working Group criteria. 84.3% (140) of the patients were male.Results: Ankylosing spondylitis was the commonest type of spondyloarthritis accounting for 69.3% patients. Evidence of past or present uveitis was found in 16.3% patients. Of the patients with uveitis 96.3% had anterior uveitis. 88.9% of the patients had redness of the eye, and 85.2% reported pain in the eye during an episode of uveitis. Mean duration of musculoskeletal symptoms prior to the diagnosis of SpA was 4.36 years. Of the 24 patients who could recall the course of uveitis 70.8% (17) had recurrent episodes. As a complication of uveitis 18.5% had cataract, and 14.8% had posterior synechiae. 78.3% patients were HLA-B27 positive. 19.2% of HLA-B27 positive patients had uveitis, whereas only 5.6% out of the 36 HLA-B27 negative patients had uveitis.Conclusions: The proportion of patients with uveitis in our study (16.3%) was considerably less than in other studies. The characteristics and profile of uveitis in our cohort of SpA patients from the Indian subcontinent were similar to those previously reported in literature.

Macular study on SD‐OCT in sarcoidosis uveitis at active and sequelae phases

PurposeTo study macular involvement on SD‐OCT in sarcoidosis uveitis at active and sequelae phases.MethodsTwenty‐nine eyes of 16 patients with sarcoidosis uveitis were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination completed with fluorescein angiography and SD‐OCT to assess macular involvement at active and sequelae phases of the disease.ResultsThe mean age was 44,6 ± 12,4 years. There were 8 men and 8 women. 19 eyes were assessed by SD‐OCT at the active phase and 10 eyes at the sequelae phase. At the active phase, SD‐OCT showed macular involvement in 9 (47,3%) eyes which consisted in cystoid macular edema in 5 eyes with serous retinal detachement in 3 eyes, epiretinal memebrane in 2 eyes and macular thinning in 2 eyes. At the sequelae phase, macular involvement was observed in 5 (50%) eyes which consisted in cystoid macular edema in 2 eyes, epiretinal membrane in 2 eyes and macular thinning in one eye.ConclusionsMacular involvement in sarcoidosis uveitis is common. Cystoid macular edema was the most frequent macular complication. Epiretinal membrane can be seen either in the initial presentation or during follow‐up as a sequelae of the disease. Macular atrophy may be a complication of sarcoidosis uveitis at the active and squelae phases. Macular thinning and, more importantly, photoreceptor degeneration are serious sequelae of this process. OCT can help identify abnormality of the ellipsoid zone.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the commonest rheumatic disease in children and JIA-associated uveitis its most frequent extra-articular manifestation. The uveitis is potentially sight-threatening and thus carries a considerable risk of morbidity with associated reduction in quality of life. The commonest form of uveitis seen in association with JIA is chronic anterior uveitis, which is almost always asymptomatic in the initial stages. Therefore, screening for JIA-associated uveitis in at-risk patients is essential. The aim of early detection and treatment is to minimise intraocular inflammation and to avoid complications that lead to visual loss, which can result from both disease activity and medications. The sight-threatening complications of JIA-associated uveitis include cataracts, glaucoma, band keratopathy, and macular oedema. There is increasing evidence for the early introduction of systemic immunosuppressive therapies to reduce topical and systemic use of glucocorticoids. A recently published randomised controlled trial of adalimumab in JIA-associated uveitis now provides convincing evidence for the use of this biologic in patients who fail to respond adequately to methotrexate. Tocilizumab and abatacept are being investigated as alternatives in children inadequately treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs.

S100A8/A9, a potent biomarker and clinical candidate for the treatment of uveitis

Uveitis, the pathological condition of inflammation of the uvea, commonly causes severe visual impairment and blindness. Possible causes of uveitis include infection, injury, or an autoimmune or inflammatory disease. However, the pathogenesis of uveitis is not fully understood. Glucocorticoids are widely used for the treatment of uveitis, but long-term steroid use carries a risk of potential complications. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are important to prevent the complications of uveitis. Thus far, researchers have not identified an effective biological marker for auxiliary diagnosis or an appropriate method for monitoring the inflammatory activity of uveitis. S100A8/A9, also known as calprotectin, belongs to the Ca 2+ -binding S100 protein family; is mainly expressed in myeloid leukocytes; and plays a prominent role in a variety of pathological process, such as inflammation, infection and autoimmune diseases. Extracellular S100A8/A9 released from granulocytes and monocytes has recently gained a great deal of attention as a critical alarmin for the modulation of the inflammatory response. This review will summarize recent insights into the biological function of S100A8/A9 in uveitis and provide an outlook on diagnostic, inflammation monitoring and therapeutic applications targeting S100A8/A9 for the treatment of uveitis.

Anti-tumour necrosis factor biological therapies for the treatment of uveitic macular oedema (UMO) for non-infectious uveitis

BACKGROUND Non-infectious uveitis describes a heterogenous group of ocular disorders characterised by intraocular inflammation in the absence of infection. Uveitis is a leading cause of visual loss, most commonly due to uveitic macular oedema (UMO). Treatment is aimed at reducing disease activity by suppression of the intraocular inflammatory response. In the case of macular oedema, the aim is to restore macular architecture as quickly as possible, in order to prevent irreversible photoreceptor damage in this area. Acute exacerbations are typically managed with corticosteroids, which may be administered topically, locally or systemically. Whilst these are often rapidly effective in achieving disease control, long-term use is associated with significant local and systemic side effects, and 'steroid sparing agents' are typically used to achieve prolonged control in severe or recalcitrant disease. Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) drugs block a critical cytokine in the inflammatory signalling process, and have emerged as effective steroid-sparing immunomodulatory agents in a wide range of non-ocular conditions. There is mechanistic data to suggest that they may provide a more targeted approach to disease control in UMO than other agents, but to date, these agents have predominantly been used 'off label' as the majority are not licensed for ocular use. This review aims to summarise the available literature reporting the use of anti-TNF therapy in UMO, thus developing the evidence-base on which to make future treatment decisions and develop clinical guidelines in this area. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy of anti-TNF therapy in treatment of UMO. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2018, Issue 2), which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register; Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid Embase; LILACS; Web of Science Conference Proceedings Citation Index- Science (CPCI-S); System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe (OpenGrey); the ISRCTN registry; ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO ICTRP. The date of the search was 29 March 2018. SELECTION CRITERIA We planned to include all relevant randomised controlled trials assessing the use of anti-TNF agents in treatment of UMO. No limits were applied to participant age, gender or ethnicity. The primary comparisons of this review were: anti-TNF versus no treatment or placebo; anti-TNF versus another pharmacological agent; comparison of different anti-TNF drugs; comparison of different doses and routes of administration of the same anti-TNF drug. The primary outcome measure that we assessed for this review was best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the treated eye. Secondary outcome measures were anatomical macular change, clinical estimation of vitreous haze and health-related quality of life. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts retrieved through the database searches. We retrieved full-text reports of studies categorised as 'unsure' or 'include' after we had reviewed the abstracts. Two review authors independently reviewed each full-text report for eligibility. We resolved discrepancies through discussion. MAIN RESULTS We identified no completed or ongoing trial that was eligible for this Cochrane Review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Our review did not identify any evidence from randomised controlled trials for or against the role of anti-TNF agents in the management of UMO. Although there are a number of high-quality randomised controlled trials that demonstrate the efficacy of anti-TNF agents in preventing recurrence of inflammation in uveitis, the reported study outcomes do not include changes in UMO. As a result, there were insufficient data to conclude whether there was a significant treatment effect specifically for UMO. Future trials should be designed to include quantitative measures of UMO as primary study outcomes, for example by reporting the presence or absence of UMO, or by measuring central macular thickness for study participants. Furthermore, whilst UMO is an important complication of uveitis, we acknowledge that uveitis is associated with many significant structural and functional complications. It is not possible to determine treatment efficacy based on a single outcome measure. We recommend that future reviews of therapeutic interventions in uveitis should use composite measures of treatment response comprising a range of potential complications of disease.

Pattern of Uveitic Hypotony in a Tertiary Eye Hospital in India

ABSTRACTPurpose: To report pattern of uveitic patients with hypotony in Indian population. Methods: Retrospective medical record review of 30 eyes of 21 consecutive patients with uveitic hypotony. Patient demographics, ocular findings and systemic association were recorded. Results: Mean age of the patients was 29.5 years (range 7–71 years) and 80.9%(17 patients) were below the age of 40 years. Most common complaint associated with the development of hypotony was diminution of vision (26 eyes; 86.6%), and cells in anterior vitreous (25 eyes, 83.3%) were the most common slit-lamp finding. Most common type of ocular inflammation causing hypotony was panuveitis (14, 46.6%), and ocular tuberculosis (5; 23.8%) was the most common cause of uveitis in these patients. Conclusion: Ocular hypotony is a rare but dreaded complication of uveitis. The etiology of uveitic hypotony is not uniform across the world, and tuberculosis remains an important cause of uveitic hypotony in tuberculosis endemic country like India

THE EVALUATION OF THE TYPES OF FIXATION OF INTRAOCULAR LENSES DURING LENSECTOMY IN THE CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH MARFAN’S SYNDROME

Aim. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the results of lensectomy in the combination with intraocular lens implantation including various types of their fixation in the children presenting with Marfan’s syndrome. Materials and methods. The study included 16 children presenting with Marfan’s syndrome and congenital cataract (31 eyes) at the age from 3 to 16 (mean 9.8+-4.1) years treated in the Excimer Eye Centre during a period from 2003 to 2015. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) prior to the surgical treatment was estimated at 0.1-0.4 (0.32+-0.16). All the patients underwent early phacoemulsification of the cataract in the combination with the intraocular lens implantation after the standard ophthalmological examination. Various types of intraocular lens implants were applied, namely AcrySof SN 60AT (n=2), SN60WF (n=3), MA60AC (n=19), MA60BM (n=2), and toric SN60T5 (n=3). The choice of the method for the intraocular Implant fixation depended on the degree of lens ectopia, the capsule characteristics, and the age of the patient. Results. Three main types of lens fixation were identified, viz. the mixed type (n-5), intracapsular (n-15) and intrascleral (n= 11) types. The BCVA measured within 12-36 months after the surgical intervention: was 0.4-1.0 (0.78+-0.26). The dislocation of the implanted intraocular lens was documented in 10 children, including all the three cases in the group with the mixed type of fixation without suturing and two cases of membranous cataract. Lens dislocation developed in 6 eyes of the patients with the Intracapsular localization of the intraocular lens and in 7 other eyes of the children comprising this group. Secondary lens reposition was required in a single patient who had undergone intrascleral lens fixation. No cases of uveitis, retinal detachment, macular oedema, and other complications were documented. Conclusion. In all the cases of lensectomy in the combination with the intraocular lens implantation in the children presenting with Marfan’s syndrome, the well apparent improvement of the visual functions and reduction of the severity of ambliopathy have been achieved. The lowest frequency of postoperative complications and the best functional outcome of the surgical treatment were documented in the group of the children with the intrascleral fixation of the intraocular lens implants. However, further studies involving a large sample of the patients are needed to obtain the statistically significant data for the evaluation of the long-term outcomes of the surgical treatment of the children presenting with Marfan’s syndrome and the choice of the optimal method for the fixation of the intraocular lens implants.

Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 and Eye Diseases.

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1, also known as human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), is a retrovirus that encodes a reverse transcriptase, which translates viral RNA into a DNA provirus that is integrated into the host genome. The virus was found to be a causative agent of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) in the early 1980s, and was also found to cause the neurological disorder tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP)/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM) and the inflammatory disorder HTLV-1 uveitis in the mid 1980s and early 1990s, respectively. This article reviews eye diseases caused by or related to HTLV-1: HTLV-1 uveitis, ocular and systemic complications of HTLV-1, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, interstitial keratitis, and ATL.

Intravitreal Antiangiogenic Therapy of Uveitic Macular Edema: A Review.

Uveitic (or inflammatory) macular edema (UME) is one of the most common cause of visual impairment in patients with uveitis and the most frequent structural complication of uveitis. The use of antiangiogenic agents in the management of macular edema due to inflammation is a fairly new approach. It is not entirely clear if these agents should be used as an adjunct to anti-inflammatory therapy or if they can be used as stand-alone agents in edema due to infections where immunosuppressive therapy could be detrimental to the resolution of infection. This treatment paradigm is largely borrowed from large randomized trials in other retinovascular diseases. Similar prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of antiangiogenic therapy in UME.

Complications of Uveitis: The Northern California Epidemiology of Uveitis Study

ABSTRACTPurpose: To describe the uveitis complications in a large, community-based cohort.Methods: Retrospective, community-based, cross-sectional cohort study analyzing complications and associations with complications.Results: A total of 844 cases of uveitis were found; 342 were new-onset, and 462 were prior-onset. In total, 29.5% of patients were affected by one or more complications associated with age, gender, course, and anatomic location of uveitis. Visual loss was experienced by 19.1% of patients and was associated with age, course of disease, and anatomic location of uveitis. Of the patients who developed glaucoma or elevated intraocular pressure over 30 mmHg, 3.9% (n = 33) were related solely to uveitis; 5.2% (n = 44) had an unclear or combined mechanism; and 1.8% (n = 15) were related solely to steroid response. Cystoid macular edema was associated with course of disease and anatomic location of uveitis.Conclusions: Complications affect a significant portion of uveitis patients, and are often associated with demographic and clinical factors.

Update on clinical characteristics and management of uveitic macular edema

Cystoid macular edema is a complication of uveitis which can lead to severe visual impairment if left untreated. Uveitic macular edema occurs when the balance between the water entering the eye and pumped out of the eye is altered thus losing equilibrium in the physiologic function of the retina. Edema has a negative impact on visual recovery in patients with uveitis and may continue to exist despite control of uveitis. This delayed resolution of edema observed clinically and by imaging is most frequent following intermediate uveitis, birdshot retinochoroidopathy, sarcoid uveitis, panuveitis, and iridocyclitis associated with human leukocyte antigen B27. Literature about management of uveitic macular edema is limited, and no consensus has been reached with regard to management protocol. Several treatment options exist including corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, immunomodulatory agents, implants, and surgery. These therapies can be administered through various routes such as oral, topical, periocular, or intravitreal injections. A response to treatment is seen as decrease in macular thickness and improvement in visual acuity.

Increased Arterial Stiffness in Behçet's Disease: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and ObjectivesBehçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis that is characterized by genital, oral, or skin lesions, uveitis, and vascular complications. Studies have shown that increased arterial stiffness is common in systemic immune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, current research has not yet determined whether patients with BD have increased arterial stiffness. This meta-analysis compares arterial stiffness parameters in subjects with a BD diagnosis to normal subjects.Subjects and MethodsA comprehensive search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed from the database beginning through May 2016. Observation studies were included in this analysis if they assessed the association between BD and arterial stiffness in adult subjects. BD patients met the International Study Group criteria for a diagnosis of Behçet's disease. Aortic stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements as an indicator. Pooled mean difference (MD) of PWV and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance meta-analysis. The between-study heterogeneity of effect-size was quantified using the Q statistic and I2.ResultsData were extracted from four observational studies that included 303 subjects. PWV is significantly higher in patients with Behçet's disease compared with controls (MD=0.74;95%, CI: 0.28-1.20, p=0.002, I2=63%).ConclusionIn this meta-analysis, we observed that PWV, an ideal indicator of arterial stiffness, is increased in patients with Behçet's disease compared with the controls. Prospective studies in a large population should be done to determine the pathophysiological and prognostic implications of increased arterial stiffness in BD.

OP131 Cost-Effectiveness Of Dexamethasone And Adalimumab For Uveitis

INTRODUCTION:Uveitis is inflammation inside the eye whose underlying cause may be infectious or non-infectious. The objective of our study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the dexamethasone implant and adalimumab compared with current practice (immunosuppressants and systemic corticosteroids) in patients with non-infectious intermediate, posterior or pan-uveitis.METHODS:A Markov model was built to estimate costs and benefits of the interventions. Systematic reviews were performed to identify the relevant evidence. Quality of life data collected in three key randomized-controlled trials (1-3) was used to estimate the interventions effectiveness compared with the trials comparator arms, which consisted of placebo plus limited current practice (LCP). An indirect treatment comparison between adalimumab and dexamethasone was considered inappropriate due to lack of necessary evidence. For adalimumab, patients with active and inactive uveitis were considered separately. Due to the short duration of the trials, the rate of blindness, an important complication of uveitis, was highly uncertain. Substantial exploratory analyses were therefore undertaken. The analysis was performed from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services (PSS). Costs were calculated based on standard United Kingdom sources.RESULTS:The estimated incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) of dexamethasone compared with LCP was GBP19,509 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. The estimated ICER of adalimumab compared with LCP was GBP94,523 and GBP317,547 per QALY in patients with active and inactive uveitis respectively. The factors with the largest impact upon the ICERs were the rate of blindness and the proportion of cases of blindness avoided by interventions.CONCLUSIONS:Dexamethasone and adalimumab resulted in health gains, but at significant extra costs, especially adalimumab which is unlikely to be considered a cost-effective use of NHS resources. The results of the analysis are highly uncertain due to the limited availability of evidence on: the comparative effectiveness of dexamethasone, adalimumab and current practice; the effectiveness of treatments in avoiding blindness; and, the effectiveness of interventions in different subgroups.