Low-dose cyclosporin A therapy in treating chronic, noninfectious uveitis

To describe the authors' approach to the management of patients with recalcitrant, chronic, endogenous uveitis using low-dose Cyclosporin A (CSA) alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents with attention to the anti-inflammatory efficacy, visual outcome, and side effects of therapy.

The authors reviewed the records of 50 patients (92 eyes) with uveitis of various etiologies who had been treated with low-dose CSA (2.5-5.0 mg/kg daily) alone or in combination with prednisone and/or azathioprine (1.5-2.0 mg/kg daily). The median follow-up on low-dose CSA was 16 months (range, 6-64 months).

Inflammatory control was achieved in 68 (73.9%) eyes, while persistent inflammatory activity was observed in 14 (15.2%). Thirty-eight (41%) eyes improved two Snellen lines or more, 43 (47.0%) stabilized, and 11 (12.0%) lost two lines or more. The CSA was discontinued because of nephrotoxicity in three patients and in each of two with systemic hypertension and constitutional intolerance to the drug, respectively. Thirteen patients enjoy inflammatory remission with this regimen.

Low-dose CSA used alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents is effective in achieving inflammatory control with a favorable visual outcome and provides a useful steroid-sparing strategy in the management of chronic endogenous uveitis. The CSA-associated toxicity may be reduced by initiating therapy at very low initial doses, with incremental dosage escalation to the desired target range.