Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of infliximab administration in refractory uveoretinitis in Behçet's disease (BD).
Methods: The subjects were 22 consecutive BD patients with refractory uveoretinitis treated with infliximab. Three patients dropped out from the therapy. The other 19 patients received the therapy for 6 months or longer. The efficacy was evaluated by the ocular attacks and best corrected visual acuity at remission in the 19 patients and the safety was evaluated in all 22 patients.
Results: The incidence of ocular attacks in the 6 months before and after the infliximab therapy were 3.0+/-2.6 and 0.4+/-1.1, respectively (p<0.0005). Infliximab was very effective in 7 patients where no ocular attacks occurred throughout infliximab therapy, effective in 10 patients where ocular attacks was reduced, and non-effective in 2 patients. The vision was either improved or unchanged in all eyes at the 6th months therapy. Various adverse effects were seen in 14 patients, but non were serious.
Conclusions: Infiximab therapy is effective in managing the refractory uveoretinitis in BD, but elucidation of the safety needs more patients and a longer follow-up period.