THE BELGIAN OPHTHALMIC ASSOCIATIONS
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| Title | Ten week efficacy and safety results from the Remicade European Study for Chronic Uveitis (RESCU) |
| Purpose | Infliximab is a monoclonal IgG1 monoclonal antibody, active against soluble and membrane bound TNF-α. The objectives of the current study were to determine the response to infliximab in a prospective series of uveitis patients with intermediate and/or posterior uveitis intolerant or unresponsive to standard therapy. |
| Methods | Patients with various uveitic conditions were recruited from 10 European centers. After screening for tuberculosis and other contraindications, patients received infliximab 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, 6, and then every 8 weeks through week 46. Starting at week 6, an attempt was made to taper concomitant anti-inflammatory medications except for low dose prednisone (7.5 mg/day), methotrexate (7.5 mg/week), or azathioprine. Patients were withdrawn from the study if their vision dropped by 2+ ETDRS lines, if there was a significant rise in vitreous haze, if the patient experienced a retinal infarction or restarted immunosuppressive therapy. |
| Results | 49 patients were included in the study. The diagnostic groups included: Behçet’s disease, sarcoidosis, intermediate uveitis, birdshot retinochoroiditis, idiopathic vasculitis, and sympathetic ophthalmia/Vogt Koyanagi Harada. By week 10, infliximab was stopped in 4 patients. The median prednisolone equivalent score at baseline was 15 mg (range, 0 to 50 mg), and was tapered to 10 mg (range, 0 to 35 mg) at week 10 (p < 0.001). Similarly, by week 10, there was a reduction in the dosage and number of other concomitant immunosuppressives. |
| Conclusion | The 10-week data from the RESCU trial suggest that infliximab is effective in uveitis, originating from a broad range of diseases. Infliximab was well tolerated. |
Author 1
| Last name | DE SCHRYVER |
| Initials | I |
| Department | Department of Ophthalmology |
| City | University Hospital Ghent |
Author 2
| Last name | Kestelyn |
| Initials | Ph |
| Department | Department of Ophthalmology |
| City | University Hospital Ghent |
Author 3
| Last name | RESCU |