Clinical Review: Anti-TNFα Therapies in Uveitis: Perspective on 5 Years of Clinical Experience

Abstract

Despite a lack of robust evidence, anti-TNF therapies are in wide use for the treatment of noninfectious ocular inflammatory diseases. There is a clear rationale, based on mechanistic and preclinical efficacy data, for their use in posterior segment intraocular inflammation. However, their increasing use for other indications has been largely extrapolated from the benefit observed in autoinflammatory and autoimmune systemic diseases. Given their cost and the potential for significant adverse events, this review highlights the evidence for their continued use, possibilities for switching anti-TNF agents, and ways of reducing the risk of therapy.

KEYWORDS::

• Inflammatory cytokines
• intraocular inflammation
• PSII
• recombinant antibodies
• TNFα
• uveitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest.

Notes

¹ Data kindly provided by National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, Portland, U.S. Data obtained from The World Health Organization Adverse Drug Events Database. World Health Organization Uppsala Monitoring Center, Uppsala, Sweden.