Infliximab is rapidly effective and safe in a high proportion BD patients with refractory posterior uveitis, and may be helpful to prevent recurrences.
IC occurred in 9% of 242 patients with early PsA with no association with the clinical pattern and B27 positivity. This frequency is higher than previously reported.
Astigmatism was slightly affected by the use of laser welding for corneal wound closure after phacoemulsification and ECCE. The laser-assisted corneal sealing procedure was rapid and safe and could serve as an alternative to corneal suturing, with significant potential applications for the closure of longer incisions, such as those used in penetrating keratoplasty.
Laser welding of ocular tissues is an alternative technique or adjunct to conventional suturing in ophthalmic surgery. It is based on the photothermal interaction of laser light with the main components of the extracellular matrix of connective tissues. The advantages of the welding procedure with respect to standard suturing and stapling are reduced operation times, lesser inflammation, faster healing and increased ability to induce tissue regeneration. The procedure we set up is based on the use of an infrared diode laser in association with the topical application of the chromophore Indocyanine Green. Laser light may be delivered either continuously or in pulses, thus identifying two different techniques that have been applied clinically in various types of transplants of the cornea.
PurposeTo evaluate the long-term efficacy of infliximab in patients with refractory Behçet’s disease (BD)-associated and idiopathic posterior uveitis (PU).MethodsSingle center, prospective, 6-year duration, follow-up study on 50 consecutive patients (20 [40%] males and 30 [60%] females with a mean age of 37.5 ± 12.3 years) with refractory BD-associated PU (36 patients) and idiopathic PU (14 patients) who had failed at least one immunosuppressive drug. At baseline, patients received prednisone 1 mg/kg/day with rapid tapering and infliximab infusions (5 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter. Nonresponders after the third infusion withdrew from the study. Primary outcome measures were visual acuity (VA) value improvement compared to baseline. Secondary outcome measures were proportion of patients with VA improvement from baseline; proportion of patients achieving disease remission; number of PU flare-ups; and incidence of adverse events.ResultsAt the final follow-up, mean right and left eye VA respectively increased from 0.57 ± 0.31 at baseline to 0.68 ± 0.33 (P = 0.048) and from 0.67 ± 0.28 to 0.76 ± 0.27 (P = 0.047). None of the patients had VA worsening and new onset ocular complications. A complete response of PU was recorded in 34/50 (68%) patients and partial response in 11/50 (22%). Five patients were nonresponders and withdrew from the study after the third infusion. A significant reduction of ocular attacks and of the proportion of patients with cystoid macular edema was observed. No differences in infliximab efficacy was recorded between patients with BD-associated and idiopathic PU. No serious adverse events occurred. The mean follow-up duration was 36.8 months.ConclusionLong-term infliximab therapy was equally effective and safe with a significant VA gain in refractory BD-associated and idiopathic PU.
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