Novel treatment regimen of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease with a reduced dose of corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness, visual outcome, and prognostic factors of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease treatment with a reduced dose of corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents.

Methods: The clinical characteristics, auxiliary examinations, treatment result, visual outcome, and prognostic factors in VKH patients were analyzed.

Results: A total of 998 VKH patients were divided into posterior uveitis group (Group1), anterior uveal involvement group (Group 2), and recurrent granulomatous anterior uveitis group (Group 3). Reduced doses of corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents were used for 1–1.5 years. Uveitis was controlled in 100%, 100%, and 96.8% of these three groups, respectively. Visual improvement and stability was observed in 98.1%, 96.5%, and 88.3%, respectively. Treatment after disease onset, visual acuity at first visit, and 1 month after treatment was positively associated with BCVA at last visit (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: A reduced dose of corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents effectively controlled the intraocular inflammation and improved visual acuity in most Chinese VKH patients.

KEYWORDS:

• VKH disease
• Treatment regimen
• Prognosis factor

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology (CSTC, 2008CA5003), National Key Clinical Specialties Construction Program of China, Key Project of Health Bureau of Chongqing (2012-1-003), and Chongqing Science & Technology Platform and Base Construction Program (cstc2014pt-sy10002). The authors thank all the patients who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

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

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