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Infliximab Therapy for the Treatment of Refractory Ocular Inflammatory Disease
Lucia Sobrin, MD;
Eva C. Kim, MD;
William Christen, PhD;
Thekla Papadaki, MD;
Erik Letko, MD;
C. Stephen Foster, MD
Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(7):895-900.
Objective To report the outcomes of infliximab therapy in the treatment of ocular inflammatory disease refractory to traditional immunomodulatory therapy (IMT).
Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 27 patients. All patients had noninfectious ocular inflammatory disease refractory to traditional IMT and received 5 mg/kg of infliximab at 2-week to 8-week intervals. Main outcome measures were clinical response, reduction in concomitant IMT, and adverse effects. Cumulative incidences of inflammation control and vision change were calculated using life-table methods.
Results Twenty-one patients experienced sustained improvement in inflammation with their initial course of infliximab therapy. Cumulative incidence of inflammation resolution at 12 months was greater than 90%. Sixteen patients were able to decrease the dose of their concomitant IMT medication or stop all other IMT. Four patients were able to discontinue all other IMT while receiving infliximab therapy. Three patients with scleritis were eventually able to remain inflammation-free while not taking any medication. At 12 months, 56% and 65% of left and right eyes, respectively, showed visual acuity improvement by 2 or more Snellen lines. Only 1 patient developed an adverse event requiring therapy discontinuation.
Conclusions We found a high rate of ocular inflammation control with infliximab therapy. The incidence of adverse effects in this study was low.
Author Affiliations: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institute, Cambridge (Drs Sobrin, Kim, Papadaki, Letko, and Foster); and Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (Dr Christen), Massachusetts.
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