Egyptian Consensus Guidance for Treatment of Adults with Non-Infectious Uveitis

Developing and setting up an Egyptian consensus for the management of NIU.

A two-phase survey was implemented to obtain expert opinions from Egyptian specialists in the management of non-infectious uveitis. A core team of specialists in management of NIU formulated 21 clinical questions that were structured according to the PICO format (population, intervention, comparison, and the outcome). The literature review team conducted a systemic literature review to address the PICO questions. Based on literature search, a set of 21 sectioned recommendation statements were developed.

The differences in ethnicity and socioeconomic standards of the Egyptian population raised the need to develop an Egyptian consensus guidance for management of NIU. The management statements developed in this work were based on a thorough review of the literature and consensus agreement of a national expert panel. Systemic immunosuppression should be initiated during steroid tapering and should be used as first line along with steroids in case of underlying systemic disease. The panel recommended that maintenance dose of steroids should not exceed 7.5 mg daily. A major limitation facing the Egyptian health system is the socioeconomic status and limited insurance coverage. Hence, the use of conventional immunosuppression is usually exhausted before considering biologic therapy, and the role of biosimilars is emphasized to their relatively lower cost, similar efficacy, and safety in comparison to the original molecule.

This guideline provides direction for rheumatologists and ophthalmologists making decisions on management of adults with non-infectious uveitis. Putting into consideration that clinical practice varies based on local pharmaceutical availability and patient demographics.