Comparison of Presenting Features and Three-year Disease Course in Turkish Patients with Behçet Uveitis Who Presented in the Early 1990s and the Early 2000s

Abstract

Purpose: To compare Behçet uveitis patients who presented in the 1990s and 2000s.

Methods: Records of 170 patients seen in 1990–1994 and 258 patients seen in 2000–2004 were reviewed. Presenting features were analyzed in the whole cohort. Uveitis attacks, vision, complications, and immunomodulatory treatment (IMT) were compared in patients with 3-year follow-up.

Results: Posterior segment involvement was less common, visual acuity was better, and more patients received IMT before referral in the 2000s. Follow-up revealed no significant difference in number of uveitis attacks in the first 3 years. Less eyes lost useful vision, no patient became legally blind, and fewer severe ocular complications occurred in the 2000s. IMT was started within 3 months in more patients and interferon alfa-2a was used only in the latter study period.

Conclusions: The findings suggest a milder disease at referral, lower rate of severe complications, and a better 3-year visual outcome in patients who presented in the early 2000s.

KEYWORDS::

• Behçet uveitis
• Immunomodulatory treatment
• Interferon alfa-2a
• Prognosis
• Visual outcome

Declaration of interest: Ilknur Tugal-Tutkun has received financial support outside the submitted work, including honoraria from IRIS (Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier), Novartis Pharma AG and XOMA (US) LLC and Kowa Company, a research grant from Novartis Pharma AG and travel grants from Novartis Turkey and Abbott Turkey. No government and nongovernment funding support has been obtained. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.