Induction of durable remission in ocular inflammatory diseases

To describe a paradigm of care for patients with ocular inflammatory diseases aimed at induction of durable remission.

Retrospective cohort study. The records of 399 patients with ocular inflammatory diseases treated with systemic immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution were reviewed. Durable remission was defined as control of inflammation in the absence of systemic IMT for at least 1 year. Fifty patients met the inclusion criteria.

Mean age was 46+/-22.5 years (range 18-88). All the patients had corticosteroid therapy and failed this therapy before having IMT. Fifty-two percent of the patients had used methotrexate alone or in combination with other medications. Thirty percent of the patients required at least 2 years of therapy with systemic IMT to obtain durable remission, while 44% required 2 to 5 years of therapy to achieve the same. Twenty percent continued to stay in remission, off immunomodulatory drugs, between 2 and 5 years and 18% were in remission for more than 5 years after therapy discontinuation.

IMT can be sight saving in patients. It can be tapered and discontinued successfully without the return of ocular inflammation. Durable drug-free remission is an achievable goal, and should be pursued by ocular inflammatory disease specialists.