Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Interferon Alpha-2a in the Treatment of Chinese Patients with Behcet's Uveitis Not Responding to Conventional Therapy

Purpose: To investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of interferon alpha-2a (IFN alpha-2a) in Chinese patients with Behcet's uveitis (BU) refractory to conventional therapy. Methods: In a prospective observational cohort study, 127 patients were treated with an initial dosage of 3 million units per day in the first three months, followed by gradual tapering of the dose. Results: After 3 months of treatment, IFN alpha-2a was shown to be effective in 115 cases (91%). At the end of the 1-year follow-up, the frequency of ocular relapses decreased to 1.59 +/- 1.68 per year (ranging 0-6) (p < 0.001), as compared to 5.09 +/- 2.51 per year (ranging 3-15). Moreover, the frequency of oral ulcer relapses also decreased to 2.49 +/- 1.84 per year (ranging 0-6) (p < 0.001), as compared to 8.20 +/- 3.72 per year (ranging 2-10). Visual improvement or stability was observed in 32 patients (59%) in these 54 patients. During a mean follow-up of 11 months (range 3-33), the mean final VA (logMAR) had progressed from 1.0 logMAR to 0.8 logMAR in all treated patients. Conclusions: Long-term low dose of IFN alpha-2a is useful in treating Chinese BU patients who do not respond adequately to conventional therapy.