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Corticosteroid-related adverse events increase with dose in noninfectious uveitis
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A post hoc analysis of two clinical trials showed a significant dose-dependent correlation between corticosteroid treatment and adverse events in patients with noninfectious uveitis.
The VISUAL-1 and VISUAL-2 studies investigated the safety and efficacy of Humira (adalimumab, AbbVie) as a potential maintenance therapy after corticosteroid tapering and discontinuation. The control group of these studies, in which a placebo was administered after discontinuation of corticosteroids, provided an ideal set of data to evaluate the incidence rate of dose-dependent corticosteroid-related adverse events, according to the study authors.
A significantly higher rate of corticosteroid-related adverse events was reported in both studies during the prednisone treatment period than after the end of tapering. They included skin disorders, laboratory abnormalities, weight change, infections, musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders, and psychiatric disorders.
Adverse events were positively correlated with the dose of corticosteroids. Notably, an increase of 10 mg per day in the dose of prednisone was associated with a 1.5-fold increase in the rate of corticosteroid-related adverse events in VISUAL-1 and a 2.6-fold increase in VISUAL-2. Differences in the patient population of the two trials might account for the higher rate in VISUAL-2.
These findings, according to the authors, reinforce again “the importance of developing steroid-sparing strategies in the treatment of patients with chronic [noninfectious uveitis].” – by Michela Cimberle
Disclosure s : Suhler reports he is a consultant for AbbVie, Gilead, Inotek, Mallinckrodt, Santen and Xoma and receives research support from Research to Prevent Blindness, Department of Veterans Affairs, AbbVie, Aldevra, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Clearside, EyeGate, Genentech, pSivida and the National Eye Institute. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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