Long-Term Outcome of Tofacitinib Treatment for Systemic Autoimmune Disease-Associated Refractory Scleritis

To report the long-term outcome of three refractory anterior scleritis cases successfully treated with tofacitinib, a Janus-associated kinase inhibitor.

Three patients with systemic autoimmune disease-associated anterior scleritis (two with rheumatoid arthritis and one with systemic lupus erythematosus), resistant to conventional immunomodulatory therapy, were subsequently treated with tofacitinib (10 mg/day).

Tofacitinib resulted in complete resolution of scleritis in all patients. During the 39-78 months of follow-up, no recurrence of scleritis occurred, and no adverse effects associated with tofacitinib were noted. At the last follow-up, all patients were free of scleritis with two patients receiving tofacitinib monotherapy and one without.

Tofacitinib can be a safe and effective treatment for noninfectious refractory scleritis, warranting further investigation in large clinical trials.