Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of early versus late immunomodulatory treatment (IMT) in patients with HLA-B27-associated chronic uveitis.
Methods: Seventy-two patients (114 eyes) with HLA-B27-associated chronic uveitis received IMT at the Ocular Immunology & Uveitis Service of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and were evaluated retrospectively. Main outcome measures were visual acuity, control of inflammation, number of flare-ups and steroid-sparing effect.
Results: The median time between diagnosis and start of IMT was 3.05 years. Accordingly, patients were divided into two groups: group A comprised those in whom initiation of IMT was within the first 3 years (36 patients), and in group B initiation of IMT was more than 3 years from the initial diagnosis (36 patients). Control of inflammation was achieved in 29 patients (80.5%) of the early-treated group and in 33 patients (91.6%) of the late-treated group. A steroid-sparing effect was achieved for 13 (81.25%) of the 16 and for 11 (73.33%) of the 15 patients who were on systemic steroid in the early- and late-treated groups respectively. The mean follow-up for the early-treated group was 2.14 years and for the late-treated group, 3.46 years.
Conclusions: Immunomodulatory therapy is an effective treatment for severe HLA-B27 uveitis that fails to respond to conventional steroid treatment, regardless of the timing of its initiation. However, introduction of IMT within 3 years of the disease onset prevents the adverse effects of steroids (cataract, glaucoma) and reduces the likelihood of repeated recurrences of the uveitis.