INTERFERON-ALPHA FOR OCULAR BEHCETS-DISEASE

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic role of interferon a in ocular Behcet's disease. Methods: Three patients with B- or C-hepatitis and ocular sight-threatening Behcet's disease unresponsive to steroids wer e treated subcutaneously with interferon a 3 x 10(6)/unit three times per week for a mean period of 22 months (range: 12-31 months). The cou rse of ocular and systemic lesions was recorded and compared with a si milar pre-treatment period. Results: At least a 50% reduction in the n umber of ocular relapses was observed in all the patients (mean relaps e/month: 0.41 versus 0.16 in the pre-and in-treatment period, respecti vely) while during therapy also each relapse lasted less in all subjec ts. A reduction of steroid dependence was observed in all patients,,wh ile no significant side-effects were related to interferon a administr ation, Two patients who tried to stop interferon a therapy showed afte r a mean period of 12.5 days a recurrence of diffuse uveitis and, one of them experienced oral and genital aphthae as well. Conclusion: In p atients with Behcet's disease interferon a seems to be a useful altern ative therapy for sight-threatening ocular involvement.