In a Chinese population, 7% of patients with noninfectious uveitis (NIU) were found to have uveitic macular edema (UME). Many effective treatments for UME are now available.
Study design
In this retrospective study, data from 1946 consecutive patients (2816 eyes) with NIU seen at the uveitis service of a tertiary ophthalmology center in Shaanxi, China, were reviewed to evaluate the incidence of UME in this population and the efficacy of treatment. Uveitic macular edema was defined as the presence of intraretinal or subretinal fluid, with or without thickening, on OCT scans. Treatment regimens included both peribulbar and intravitreal steroid injections, oral steroids, immunomodulatory therapy, and interferon-α2a injections.
Outcomes
Uveitic macular edema was found in 134 (6.9%) patients. The most common types of uveitis associated with UME were panuveitis (23.5%) and posterior uveitis (11.5%). Patients with bilateral uveitis were found to be more prone to UME than patients with unilateral uveitis. Of the 97 patients who had UME and were available for long-term follow-up, 44 had good response to a combination of adalimumab and low-dose prednisone, either with or without additional immunosuppressant therapy. All patients who received interferon-α2a, dexamethasone, or fluocinolone acetonide injections had good response to treatment.
Limitations
Limited OCT scans were performed; therefore, some UME cases may have been missed. Some patients who were lost to follow-up may have developed UME later.
Clinical significance
A low rate of UME was found among these patients with NIU. As resolution of UME was noted with several types of treatments, the clinician has a range of options that can be tailored to the patient’s specific needs.
Financial Disclosures: Dr. Ashleigh Laurin Levison discloses relationships with AbbVie (Lecture Fees/Speakers Bureau), Clearside Biomedical, and Santen (Consultant).