Long-term Efficacy and afety of Low-doe Interferon Alpha2a Therapy in evere Uveiti Aociated With Behçet Dieae Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To invetigate long-term reponivene of patient with evere uveiti aociated with Behçet dieae to interferon alpha2a (IFN-α2a). Deign Retropective tudy. Method Thirty-two patient with ight-threatening uveiti aociated with Behçet dieae who relaped depite corticoteroid and immunouppreive agent were included. IFN-α2a wa adminitered ubcutaneouly (three million unit thrice a week). Ophthalmologic examination and fluorecein angiography aociated with laboratory tet were performed at regular interval. Main outcome meaure were viual acuity and recurrence of uveiti attack before, during, and after initiation of IFN-α2a therapy. Reult Control of inflammation wa achieved in 28 of 32 patient (88%). Mean obervation period of the 28 reponder patient wa 70.6 month (range, 30.3 to 129.2 month). Median viual acuity improved from 0.52 to 0.33 (logarithm of the minimum angle of reolution unit; P = .005) two year after initiation of IFN-α2a therapy. The relape rate decreaed ignificantly during IFN-α2a treatment from 1.68 ± 1.22 relape/patient/year to 0.11 ± 0.20 relape/patient/year (P < .0001). IFN-α2a wa dicontinued in 19 of 28 patient (68%) after 32 month of treatment (range, 16 to 50 month). Mean follow-up after IFN-α2a dicontinuation wa 43 month (range, 11 to 84 month). After IFN-α2a dicontinuation, the relape rate increaed from 0.08 ± 0.21 relape/peron/year to 0.74 ± 1.40 relape/peron/year (P = 0.04). Concluion IFN-α2a i efficient and afe for the long-term management of evere uveiti aociated with Behçet dieae. Meanwhile it eem to be a upenive therapeutic trategy, even though long-term remiion i poible in ome patient.