New Pharmacological Strategies for the Treatment of Non-Infectious Uveitis. A Minireview.

Non-infectious uveitis (NIU) is a group of disorders characterized by intraocular inflammation at different levels of the eye. NIU is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in working-age population in the developed world. The goal of uveitis treatment is to control inflammation, prevent recurrences, and preserve vision, as well as minimize the adverse effects of medications. Currently, the standard of care for NIU includes the administration of corticosteroids (CS) as first-line agents, but in some cases a more aggressive therapy is required. This includes synthetic immunosuppressants, such as antimetabolites (methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, and azathioprine), calcineurinic inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus), and alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil). In those patients who become intolerant or refractory to CS and conventional immunosuppressive treatment, biologic agents have arisen as an effective therapy. Among the most evaluated treatments, TNF-α inhibitors, IL blockers, and anti-CD20 therapy have emerged. In this regard, anti-TNF agents (infliximab and adalimumab) have shown the strongest results in terms of favorable outcomes. In this review, we discuss latest evidence concerning to the effectiveness of biologic therapy, and present new therapeutic approaches directed against immune components as potential novel therapies for NIU.

Diabetes Mellitus-Associated Uveitis: Clinical Features in a Chilean Series.

PURPOSE: To describe clinical features of patients with diabetes mellitus-associated uveitis (DMAU). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical records of patients with uveitis and diabetes mellitus (DM) presented in an uveitis referral centre in Chile. Demographic data, comorbidities, complete ophthalmic examination, and treatments were analyzed. RESULTS: We found 72 patients with uveitis and DM: 16 with DMAU and poorly regulated DM (22%), 15 with DMAU and well-controlled DM (21%), and 41 with uveitis due to established other causes than DM (57%). Patients with DMAU in poorly regulated diabetes, presented inflammation of 3-4+ cells in 33%, a fibrinous reaction in 28%, hypopyon in 17% and posterior synechiae in 83%, compared with 5%, 0%, 0%, and 50% in the group with well-controlled DM, respectively (p < 0.05). Most DMAU patients responded well to topical or periocular steroids. CONCLUSION: Patients with DMAU with poorly regulated DM present a more severe inflammation compared with patients with DMAU with well-controlled DM.