Efficacy of monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibodies in uveitic macular oedema

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents in resolving or improving severe or resistant uveitic macular edema (UME). Methods: Patients with severe or resistant UME treated with TNF-α blockers were retrospectively enrolled. Central macular thickness (CMT) was assessed at optical coherence tomography (OCT) at the start of TNF-α inhibition, after 3 and 12 months, and at the last visit. Results: Thirty-six patients (56 eyes with UME) were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 29.9±40.8 (4-184) months. A statistically significant decrease was observed in the frequency of UME (p<0.0001) and in the mean CMT values (p<0.0001) during the study period. Best corrected visual acuity improved in 35 eyes (62.5%), remained stable in 12 eyes (21.4%), and decreased in 9 eyes (16.1%). The mean corticosteroid dosage was significantly reduced during the study period (p=0.016). Conclusions: TNF-α inhibitors represent a useful treatment in patients with severe or resistant UME.