Treatment of severe non-infectious uveitis in high-risk conditions (Part I): pregnancy and malignancies, management and safety issues

Abstract

Introduction: Management of patients with severe immune-mediated uveitis requires the use of immunosuppressive drugs in selected cases. This may be especially challenging in certain patients with concomitant conditions, which could increase the risk of side effects or modify guidelines for the use of such drugs. Therapeutic decision-making and management may be of particular difficulty in pregnancy as well as in patients with associated malignancies unrelated to a specific ophthalmic inflammatory condition.

Areas covered: The main aim of this review is to provide an updated comprehensive practical guide for practitioners regarding the therapeutic decision-making and management of patients with severe immune-mediated uveitis in the context of pregnancy and malignancies.

Expert opinion: Management of patients with immune-mediated uveitis requiring immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory drugs might be particularly complicated by other conditions affecting their health and immune status. Clinicians should take into account such conditions, which might influence treatment response and the clinical outcome of these patients.

Keywords:

• biological therapy
• cancer
• drug-related side effects
• immunosuppressive agents
• neoplasms
• pregnancy
• uveitis

Declaration of interest

M Cordero-Coma has received speaker honoraria from Abbvie, Allergan, and Merck. He is on the advisory board from Abbvie and Allergan. The other authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

Notes

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