OBJECTIVE: To report both the efficacy and safety of interferon-alpha-2a (IFN-alpha) therapy in corticodependent uveitis of paediatric Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: Data from seven children affected with corticodependent uveitis of BD and treated with IFN-alpha were reviewed retrospectively. IFN-alpha was injected sub-cutaneously thrice a week at dosages of 1.5-3 M(ons) IU according to the children's weight. Efficacy was judged on the ability of IFN-alpha to induce a corticosteroid (CS)-sparing effect while maintaining remission. All adverse events (AE) were recorded. RESULTS: The children included four boys and three girls. Mean age at onset of uveitis was 8.6 yrs and mean follow-up duration was 7.14 yrs. All children had a high level of corticodependence and five of them received additional DMARDs. A remarkable CS-sparing effect with remission maintenance was achieved in 5 out of 7 patients after a mean period of 14.6 months of IFN-alpha administration. The remission was sustained in four of the five patients (mean = 4.8 yrs), even after IFN-alpha was discontinued in three of them. The other patient relapsed 1.5 yrs after IFN-alpha discontinuation. The last two patients faced early severe adverse events attributed to IFN-alpha: retinal venous thrombosis and major depression. CONCLUSION: IFN-alpha has a potent CS-sparing effect in paediatric BD patients suffering from severe uveitis. However, the possibility of major side-effects with this treatment calls for careful monitoring.
OBJECTIVE: To report both the efficacy and safety of interferon-alpha-2a (IFN-alpha) therapy in corticodependent uveitis of paediatric Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: Data from seven children affected with corticodependent uveitis of BD and treated with IFN-alpha were reviewed retrospectively. IFN-alpha was injected sub-cutaneously thrice a week at dosages of 1.5-3 M(ons) IU according to the children's weight. Efficacy was judged on the ability of IFN-alpha to induce a corticosteroid (CS)-sparing effect while maintaining remission. All adverse events (AE) were recorded. RESULTS: The children included four boys and three girls. Mean age at onset of uveitis was 8.6 yrs and mean follow-up duration was 7.14 yrs. All children had a high level of corticodependence and five of them received additional DMARDs. A remarkable CS-sparing effect with remission maintenance was achieved in 5 out of 7 patients after a mean period of 14.6 months of IFN-alpha administration. The remission was sustained in four of the five patients (mean = 4.8 yrs), even after IFN-alpha was discontinued in three of them. The other patient relapsed 1.5 yrs after IFN-alpha discontinuation. The last two patients faced early severe adverse events attributed to IFN-alpha: retinal venous thrombosis and major depression. CONCLUSION:IFN-alpha has a potent CS-sparing effect in paediatric BD patients suffering from severe uveitis. However, the possibility of major side-effects with this treatment calls for careful monitoring.