High-dose intravenous corticosteroids for ocular inflammatory diseases.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and risk of complications of high-dose intravenous pulsed corticosteroids for noninfectious ocular inflammatory diseases.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study in which 104 eyes of 70 patients who received high-dose intravenous corticosteroids for treatment of active ocular inflammation were identified from five centers. The main outcome measures were control of inflammation and occurrence of ocular or systemic complications within 1 month after treatment.

RESULTS

Within ≤1 month of starting treatment, 57% of eyes achieved complete control of inflammation (95% confidence interval (CI): 33-83%), improving to 82% when near-complete control was included (95% CI: 61-96%). Most eyes (85%; 95% CI: 70-95%) gained clinically significant improvement in anterior chamber inflammation. One patient developed a colon perforation during treatment. No other major complications were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of ocular inflammation with high-dose intravenous corticosteroids resulted in substantial clinical improvement for most cases within 1 month. Complications of therapy were infrequent.