Interferon Alpha-2a Therapy in Patients with Refractory Behçet Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To report the results of IFNα2a therapy in patients with Behçet uveitis refractory to azathioprine-cyclosporine combination treatment.

Methods: In a retrospective study, 39 patients treated with either azathioprine-cyclosporine combination treatment (group 1, n = 23) or IFNα2a (group 2, n = 16) with a diagnosis of ocular Behçet disease (BD), were included in the study. Group 2 consisted of patients who did not respond to conventional combination therapy, and were therefore treated with IFNα2a. Clinical response and relapse rates were recorded for each group.

Results: The mean number of uveitis attacks/year per patient was 0.8 ± 1.6 in Group 1. In Group 2, a significant decrease in the mean number of uveitis attacks/year per patient was observed after initiation of IFNα2a (2.4 ± 1.8 vs 1.3 ± 2.0) (p<0.05). When the two groups were compared after administration of IFNα2a therapy, no statistical difference was found in terms of uveitis attack/year and attack-free intervals, with a partial response to both treatments.

Conclusions: IFNα2a therapy is an effective alternative for Behçet uveitis patients where conventional combination therapy fails.

Keywords:

• Azathioprine
• Behçet
• cyclosporine
• IFNα2a
• uveitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Salih Ergocen, MSc, Department of Biostatistics, for the detailed statistical analysis of the data. None of authors have competing financial interests.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.