Abstract
Purpose:
The goal of this Study was the evaluation of Intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide in the control of severe ocular inflammatory disease.
Methods:
A total of 20 patients were included in this study. All the patients received Intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide (10-15 mg/kg). Review of systems and a complete ophthalmologic exam were made in each patient. The severity of their disease was considered in order to treat them with intravenous cyclophosphamide.
Results:
From a total of 20 patients, 14 (70%) were female and 6 (30%) were male. The average age of patients was 51.35 ± 22.22 years old. Ocular findings were necrotizing scleritis (30%), followed by nodular scleritis (10%), difuse scleritis (10%) and others as retinal vasculitis, mucous membrane pemphigoid, rheumatoid arthritis. The average number of pulses of cyclophosphamide were 3.5 ± 2.5. All patients were treated with oral steroids. Ninety percent of patients showed improvement in the course of the disease. Seventy per cent of patients had systemic disease, granulomatosis with polyangeitis, (Wegener's disease) was seen in 35%, ocular cicatrizial pemphigoid (10%), tubercoulosis disease (10%), rheumatoid arthritis (5%) and miscellaneous (5, 5%). The ocular manifestation in patients was primarily the scleritis.
Conclusions:
Use of intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide in acute ocular inflammatory disease is effective and safe. It should be considerer in any patient with a potential blinding inflammatory disease
Keywords: 746 uveitis-clinical/animal model •
708 sclera •
745 uvea