Outcomes of changing immunosuppressive therapy after treatment failure in patients with noninfectious uveitis

To evaluate the outcomes of changing immunosuppressive therapy for noninfectious uveitis after failure.

Retrospective cohort study.

Patients with noninfectious uveitis managed at 2 tertiary uveitis clinics in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Participants with a history of using immunosuppressive therapy were identified in clinics, and notes were reviewed by doctors trained in uveitis therapy. Each treatment episode/course (starting or changing a therapy) was identified, and demographic details, clinical characteristics, drug used (second-line immunosuppressive agent [ISA] or biologicals), and drug doses were obtained.

For each treatment episode, the reasons for changing therapy, corticosteroid-sparing effects, and control of inflammation were determined.

A total of 147 patients were identified who underwent 309 different treatment episodes. Fifty-five percent of patients eventually required a change in treatment after their first treatment episode/course. Forty-five episodes involved switching from one ISA to another, with 50% to 100% of these patients achieving "success" (prednisolone ≤10 mg and sustained control) with the new ISA. A combination of ISAs were used in 53 episodes, with "success" being achieved in 50% to 71% of these patients. Biological agents were used in 45 episodes, the most common one being infliximab, which achieved success in 80% of patients.

Our data suggest that control of inflammation can be achieved after switching or combining ISAs.