TREATMENT OF UVEITIS ASSOCIATED WITH SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES IN ADULTS: A CONCISE OVERVIEW

Abstract

Uveitis represents a heterogenous group of inflammatory ocular diseases which may cause vision loss. Association of uveitis with arthritis may occur in many systemic autoimmune diseases, including spondyloarthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Behҫet’s disease and sarcoidosis. Recent advances in the field of autoimmune diseases have provided new insights and developments of diverse therapies for noninfectious uveitis. However, the optimal treatment strategy for patients with uveitis remains to be defined. Topical and/or systemic corticosteroids are the first-line therapy of autoimmune uveitis, but relapses are frequent after treatment cessation. Chronic use of corticosteroids is associated with significant systemic and ocular side effects. Many patients require treatment with conventional immunomodulatory drugs and/or biological agents in order to maintain long-term remission for both ocular inflammation and systemic disease. Treatment of uveitis should be individualized based on several factors, including the location of ocular inflammation, the inflammation severity, the impact on visual function and quality of life, the type of systemic autoimmune disease, and comorbidities. This paper provides a concise overview of the current treatment modalities and strategies available for adult patients with uveitis associated with systemic autoimmune diseases.

Keywords

• autoimmune uveitis
• corticosteroids
• immunomodulatory agents
• biological therapy