TY - JOUR
T1 - New potential weapons for refractory scleritis in the era of targeted therapy
AU - Fabiani, Claudia
AU - Sota, Jurgen
AU - Sainz-De-La-Maza, Maite
AU - Pelegrín, Laura
AU - Emmi, Giacomo
AU - Lopalco, Giuseppe
AU - Iannone, Florenzo
AU - Vannozzi, Lorenzo
AU - Guerriero, Silvana
AU - Gelmi, Maria Chiara
AU - Rigante, Donato
AU - Tosi, Gian Marco
AU - Hernández-Rodríguez, José
AU - Cantarini, Luca
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Objective. To assess the efficacy of biologic drugs, beyond tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α inhibitors, in the management of noninfectious refractory scleritis, either idiopathic or associated with systemic immune-mediated disorders. Patients and Methods. This is a retrospective study assessing the efficacy of several biologic agents (rituximab, anakinra, tocilizumab, and abatacept) and the small molecule tofacitinib in the treatment of scleritis through assessment of scleral inflammation and relapses, as well as treatment impact on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and safety profile. Results. Fourteen patients (19 eyes) were enrolled in the study. Scleritis inflammatory grading significantly improved from baseline to 3 months () and from baseline to the last follow-up visit (). Scleritis relapses significantly decreased between the 12 months preceding and following biologic therapy (). No differences regarding BCVA were observed (). Regarding adverse events, only one patient developed pneumonia and septic shock under rituximab treatment. Conclusions. Our results, though limited to a low number of patients, highlight the effectiveness of different biologic therapies in the treatment of noninfectious refractory scleritis, showing to control scleral inflammation and allowing a significant reduction in the number of relapses.
AB - Objective. To assess the efficacy of biologic drugs, beyond tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α inhibitors, in the management of noninfectious refractory scleritis, either idiopathic or associated with systemic immune-mediated disorders. Patients and Methods. This is a retrospective study assessing the efficacy of several biologic agents (rituximab, anakinra, tocilizumab, and abatacept) and the small molecule tofacitinib in the treatment of scleritis through assessment of scleral inflammation and relapses, as well as treatment impact on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and safety profile. Results. Fourteen patients (19 eyes) were enrolled in the study. Scleritis inflammatory grading significantly improved from baseline to 3 months () and from baseline to the last follow-up visit (). Scleritis relapses significantly decreased between the 12 months preceding and following biologic therapy (). No differences regarding BCVA were observed (). Regarding adverse events, only one patient developed pneumonia and septic shock under rituximab treatment. Conclusions. Our results, though limited to a low number of patients, highlight the effectiveness of different biologic therapies in the treatment of noninfectious refractory scleritis, showing to control scleral inflammation and allowing a significant reduction in the number of relapses.
KW - Scleritis
KW - Scleritis
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/145788
U2 - 10.1155/2020/8294560
DO - 10.1155/2020/8294560
M3 - Article
SN - 1466-1861
VL - 2020
SP - 1
EP - 6
JO - Mediators of Inflammation
JF - Mediators of Inflammation
ER -