Adalimumab rapidly controls both anterior and posterior inflammation in patients with ocular Behçet syndrome and non-infectious uveitis refractory to conventional therapy: a prospective, 6-month follow-up investigation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (ADA, Humira®) for treatment of non-infectious uveitis (NIU) refractory to conventional medications.

METHODS

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-α naive patients with NIU unresponsive to conventional immunosuppressive treatment were treated with ADA. Most cases with NIU were related to ocular Behçet syndrome. Adult cases used 80 mg ADA subcutaneously on day 0, 40 mg in the first week, and then 40 mg every 2-week, while this was 20 mg in children. Evaluations were performed pre-treatment and at weeks 2, 8, and 24. The study endpoints were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, LogMAR) improvement, anterior chamber (AC) cell grade, vitreous cell and haze grades, decrease in macular thickness and edema, prednisolone dose, immunosuppressive dose, and adverse reactions.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight eyes (19 right, 19 left) of 24 patients (14 female, 10 male) with (ocular Behçet syndrome) OBS (n = 27 eyes/18 patients) and NIU (n = 11 eyes/6 patients) were included. Mean age was 29.0 ± 14.1 years (range, 5-49) and follow-up time was 24 weeks. After ADA, BCVA increased (p < 0.001), and improvements in AC cell grade (p < 0.001), vitreous cell grade (p < 0.001), and vitreal haze grade (p < 0.001) were achieved at the final visit. Mean macular thickness decreased from 243.5 to 235.5 µm (p < 0.001). Such a rapid control of both anterior and posterior uveitis was observed in all eyes as early as the second week without relapses during follow-up. No ocular or systemic complications emerged during treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

ADA is effective and well-tolerated in pediatric and adolescent patients with NIU including OBS refractory to traditional medications and demonstrated corticosteroid- and immunosuppressive-sparing effects with no major side effects.