Review of Systemic Immunosuppression for Autoimmune Uveitis

Characterizing autoimmune uveitis to systemic diseases: a retrospective study from a Syrian tertiary reference center

Background

Uveitis, a notable cause of severe visual impairment, is frequently characterized as infectious or noninfectious autoimmune uveitis (AU), the latter of which is commonly associated with younger individuals and systemic diseases. Despite the condition's widespread impact, there are substantial gaps in the comprehension of its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and therapeutic response, particularly concerning systemic disease-associated uveitis.

Aim of the study

The current study aims to bridge these gaps through an extensive examination of demographic and clinical features in AU patients, thereby informing future research, and therapeutic strategies, and improving patient outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective observational study analyzed 261 patients with systemic disease-associated uveitis from January 2018 to December 2022 in Damascus, Syria. With diagnoses made using the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature Working Group Criteria, the study evaluated tailored treatment efficacy at the 24-month post-treatment mark, alongside comprehensive ophthalmic examinations, laboratory evaluations, and radiographic assessments.

Results

In our study, included 87 patients with Systemic Disease-Associated Autoimmune Uveitis (SDA-AU). Women represented 64.36% of this group, and the mean age at diagnosis was 39.8±17.9 years (range 7-71) for men and 43.8±15.4 years (range 11-69). The most reported symptom was a painful red eye (52.87%). The onset of symptoms was sudden for 32.18% of patients, while 67.81% reported gradual development. Complications occurred in 33.33% of patients, including cataracts (41.37% of those with complications) and glaucoma (17.24%). Laboratory evaluations showed elevated inflammation markers in 66.66% of patients. Upon the 24-month assessment, 48.27% of patients achieved complete remission, 37.93% showed significant improvement, while disease worsened in 13.79% of cases.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that the presentation of AU in this cohort frequently precedes the diagnosis of systemic diseases, affirming the vital role of an early and accurate diagnosis of uveitis for the detection of underlying systemic conditions. In conclusion, our study underlines the significance of a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach in the management of SD-AU, leading to improved prognosis and quality of life for patients.

Effects of non-medical infliximab biosimilar switching in ocular inflammatory diseases: A case series from a tertiary care center

PURPOSE

To describe the course of care and outcomes for 3 uveitis patients formerly on Remicade that were non-medically switched to Inflectra.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational case series.

METHODS

•Setting: Tertiary care clinical practice.•Patient population: 3 Uveitis patients, observing both eyes for inflammation as applicable. Patients included if they had been on Inflectra for ≥2 infusions and history of Remicade use. Patients described herein had at least 1 adverse reaction to Inflectra and were switched to Remicade for medical necessity. Patients excluded if they were lost to follow-up or not examined for over 6 months during therapy.•Observation procedures/Interventions: Patients observed for adverse changes in clinical course while on Inflectra. Patients developing these changes on Inflectra were started or restarted on Remicade.

RESULTS

The 3 patients described herein developed adverse complications while on Inflectra that required switching to Remicade. They were originally on Remicade, and their clinical course worsened beyond what had been controlled with Remicade alone. Our findings are limited by our small sample size, and further investigation is necessary to explore the scope of effects of non-medical biosimilar switching.

CONCLUSION

Non-medical biosimilar switching from Remicade to Inflectra may induce detrimental side-effects and significant worsening of inflammation in patients with uveitis. Non-medical biosimilar switching from Remicade to Inflectra should be discouraged, and physician input should be sought in establishing an effective and medically-necessary treatment plan for patients with uveitis.

Adalimumab vs placebo as add-on to Standard Therapy for autoimmune Uveitis: Tolerability, Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness-a protocol for a randomised controlled trial (ASTUTE trial)

INTRODUCTION

Adalimumab is an effective treatment for autoimmune non-infectious uveitis (ANIU), but it is currently only funded for a minority of patients with ANIU in the UK as it is restricted by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Ophthalmologists believe that adalimumab may be effective in a wider range of patients. The Adalimumab vs placebo as add-on to Standard Therapy for autoimmune Uveitis: Tolerability, Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (ASTUTE) trial will recruit patients with ANIU who do and do not meet funding criteria and will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adalimumab versus placebo as an add-on therapy to standard care.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The ASTUTE trial is a multicentre, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, pragmatic randomised controlled trial with a 16-week treatment run-in (TRI). At the end of the TRI, only responders will be randomised (1:1) to 40 mg adalimumab or placebo (both are the study investigational medicinal product) self-administered fortnightly by subcutaneous injection. The target sample size is 174 randomised participants. The primary outcome is time to treatment failure (TF), a composite of signs indicative of active ANIU. Secondary outcomes include individual TF components, retinal morphology, adverse events, health-related quality of life, patient-reported side effects and visual function, best-corrected visual acuity, employment status and resource use. In the event of TF, open-label drug treatment will be restarted as per TRI for 16 weeks, and if a participant responds again, allocation will be switched without unmasking and treatment with investigational medicinal product restarted.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The trial received Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval from South Central - Oxford B REC in June 2020. The findings will be presented at international meetings, by peer-reviewed publications and through patient organisations and newsletters to patients, where available.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN31474800. Registered 14 April 2020.

Next-generation nanomaterials: advancing ocular anti-inflammatory drug therapy

Ophthalmic inflammatory diseases, including conjunctivitis, keratitis, uveitis, scleritis, and related conditions, pose considerable challenges to effective management and treatment. This review article investigates the potential of advanced nanomaterials in revolutionizing ocular anti-inflammatory drug interventions. By conducting an exhaustive analysis of recent advancements and assessing the potential benefits and limitations, this review aims to identify promising avenues for future research and clinical applications. The review commences with a detailed exploration of various nanomaterial categories, such as liposomes, dendrimers, nanoparticles (NPs), and hydrogels, emphasizing their unique properties and capabilities for accurate drug delivery. Subsequently, we explore the etiology and pathophysiology of ophthalmic inflammatory disorders, highlighting the urgent necessity for innovative therapeutic strategies and examining recent preclinical and clinical investigations employing nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems. We discuss the advantages of these cutting-edge systems, such as biocompatibility, bioavailability, controlled release, and targeted delivery, alongside potential challenges, which encompass immunogenicity, toxicity, and regulatory hurdles. Furthermore, we emphasize the significance of interdisciplinary collaborations among material scientists, pharmacologists, and clinicians in expediting the translation of these breakthroughs from laboratory environments to clinical practice. In summary, this review accentuates the remarkable potential of advanced nanomaterials in redefining ocular anti-inflammatory drug therapy. We fervently support continued research and development in this rapidly evolving field to overcome existing barriers and improve patient outcomes for ophthalmic inflammatory disorders.

Ocular immunosuppressive microenvironment and novel drug delivery for control of uveitis

Ocular immune privilege is a phenomenon described by Peter Medawar in relation to the indefinite survival of the placement of foreign tissue grafts into the eye. Several mechanisms have been described that contribute to ocular immune privilege, such as a blood-ocular barrier and lack of lymphatics in the eye, the production of immune-suppressing molecules inside the ocular microenvironment, and the induction of systemic regulatory immunity against antigens found in the eye. Because ocular immune privilege is not absolute, failure of it can result in uveitis. Uveitis is a group of inflammatory disorders that can lead to vision loss if not treated properly. The current uveitis treatments involve the use of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory medications. Researching mechanisms of ocular immune privilege and the development of novel treatments for uveitis is ongoing. This review discusses mechanisms of ocular immune privilege, followed by an overview of uveitis treatments and ongoing clinical trials.

Extracellular vesicles as a new horizon in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory eye diseases: A narrative review of the literature

Extracellular vesicles include exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies. Their cargos contain a diverse variety of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids that are involved in both normal physiology and pathology of the ocular system. Thus, studying extracellular vesicles may lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and even potential treatments for various diseases. The roles of extracellular vesicles in inflammatory eye disorders have been widely investigated in recent years. The term “inflammatory eye diseases” refers to a variety of eye conditions such as inflammation-related diseases, degenerative conditions with remarkable inflammatory components, neuropathy, and tumors. This study presents an overview of extracellular vesicles’ and exosomes’ pathogenic, diagnostic, and therapeutic values in inflammatory eye diseases, as well as existing and potential challenges.

Outer Retina Rupture from Subretinal Blood with Spontaneous Sealing and Visual Recovery in Frosted Branch Angiitis from Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Case Report

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a rare autoinflammatory disorder. Ocular involvement is rare. The full spectrum and response to treatment is poorly understood. An 18-year-old girl previously diagnosed with FMF presented with sudden loss of vision in the left eye (LE). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the LE was finger counting at 1.5 meters. Angiitis with mild “frosting,” hemi-central retinal vein occlusion (HCRVO), and acute outer retina rupture (ORR) were observed in the LE. Systemic steroids were initiated immediately. The ORR was sealed 2 weeks later while vision improved to 6/15 (near vision: J2) 5 months later. No recurrences were observed over 5 years of follow-up. We report a rare manifestation of frosted branch angiitis with concomitant HCRVO and ORR in a young patient with FMF. Closure of ORR was attained and vision recovered after treatment with high-dose steroids.

Microvascular changes in the recurrent cystoid macular edema secondary to posterior noninfectious uveitis on optical coherence tomography angiography

Background

Posterior uveitis represents the second most frequent type of uveitis (15–30% of all uveitis). Noninfectious posterior uveitis complicated with secondary cystoid macular edema (CME) affects the visual prognosis negatively. The objective of the current study is to detect possible microvascular changes causing relapsing uveitis-related CME using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

This is an interventional, observational, retrospective study with 1 year follow-up. Patients with noninfectious, posterior uveitis-related CME undergoing dexamethasone (DEX) implant were evaluated. Following the DEX-implant were carried out control visits after 1 month, 2-months, 4-months, 6-months, and for up 1-year. A total of 76 eyes of 38 consecutive patients with noninfectious posterior uveitis were enrolled (consecutive sample). Complicated noninfectious posterior uveitis with secondary CME was diagnosed in 56 eyes of uveitis patients (73.7%) and reviewed.

Results

Our investigation showed (1) a reduction in superficial vessel plexus (SVP) measurements within 2-month (84%), reaching 96.4% for up 1-year, (2) an irregular profile of SVP in 69.6% of cases, persisting for up 1-year; relapsing uveitis-related CME eyes with irregular superficial foveal avascular zone (FAZ) profile were in 51%, while the SVP measurements reestablished in 100% of cases. Conversely, (3) the deep vascular plexus (DVP) parameters restored in a lower number of eyes within the 2-month (39.3%), remaining abnormal in 46.4% of cases for up 1-year; despite DVP restored in 53.6% of cases for up 1 year, (4) a capillary rarefaction ring around the FAZ appeared in 80.4% of cases; the relapsing uveitis-related CME eyes with abnormal DVP parameters were present in 41% of cases, of which 92.1% showed a rarefaction ring had abnormal DVP.

Conclusions

The use of OCTA enabled the evaluation in detail of retinal microvascular changes. We suggested that the possibility of the recurrence of the uveitis-related CME depends on the persistence of modifications of the superficial and deep layers. In this regard, we propose to implement the current imaging armamentarium with OCTA for the follow-up of patients with noninfectious uveitis-related CME.

Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness of Adalimumab in Japanese Patients with Noninfectious Intermediate, Posterior, or Panuveitis: Post-Marketing Surveillance of 251 Patients

Introduction

The aim of this nationwide, prospective post-marketing surveillance was to assess the safety and effectiveness of up to 52 weeks of adalimumab treatment in patients with noninfectious intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis in Japanese clinical practice.

Methods

This post-marketing surveillance was conducted at 60 medical facilities in Japan from October 2016 to June 2020. Patients with noninfectious intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis who were administered adalimumab (Humira^®, AbbVie Inc.) for the first time were eligible. Subcutaneous adalimumab was initially administered at 80 mg, followed by 40 mg 1 week later, then 40 mg every 2 weeks. Safety measures included the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs; primary endpoint). Effectiveness measures included visual acuity, anterior chamber cell grade, vitreous haze, macular edema, foveal retinal thickness, uveitis recurrence rate, and oral corticosteroid dose. Health-related quality of life was evaluated using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25).

Results

During 52 weeks of surveillance, AEs and ADRs occurred in 70 (27.9%) and 47 (18.7%) of 251 patients, respectively. The most common ADR was infection (21/251 patients; 8.4%), including serious infections in eight (3.2%) patients. ADRs were more frequent in patients ≥ 65 years of age, those with concurrent diseases, and those with past medical history. Four patients developed tuberculosis. The uveitis recurrence rate was 24.8% (61/246 patients). All effectiveness measures tended to improve from baseline to week 52, and mean corticosteroid doses decreased. Clinically meaningful changes were observed for most VFQ-25 subscales.

Conclusions

The safety profile of adalimumab was generally consistent with previous reports, and no new safety concerns were identified.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02916017.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40123-022-00493-z.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview

Purpose: Primary inflammatory choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs) belong to a group of intraocular inflammatory diseases with the common characteristic of inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion as the main clinicopathological mechanism. The purpose of our article is to describe clinical characteristics and multimodal imaging, that can help the diagnosis and treatment of PICCPs. Methods: Narrative review with multimodal imaging analysis. Results: Choriocapillaris non-perfusion can affect the end-choriocappilaries, at the benign end of the PICCP spectrum (MEWDS), to larger choriocapillaris vessels or precapillary vessels at the origin of more severe forms such as acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE), idiopathic multifocal choroiditis (MFC) and Serpiginous Choroiditis (SC). Diagnosis is mostly based on multimodal imaging and especially on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)/OCT-angiography (OCT-A). ICGA shows the typical pattern of patchy lobular hypofluorescence reflecting hypo- or non-perfusion of the choriocapillaris that can also take the aspect of geographic areas in the more severe forms. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and goes from observation in MEWDS and some mild cases of APMPPE, to oral corticosteroid and/or immunomodulator agents in the more severe conditions of APMPPE and MFC and SC cases. Close multimodal monitoring is crucial in order to introduce or adjust treatment. Conclusion: PICCPs are resulting from one common clinicopathological mechanism, inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion. ICGA findings are essential for the diagnosis and follow-up of PICCPs, but non-invasive methods such as FAF and SD-OCT/OCT-A also have their role especially in follow-up of the diseases. Treatment should be individualized according to the pathology and the evolution of lesions.

Multicenter, retrospective, observational study for the Treatment Pattern of systemic corticoSTERoids for relapse of non-infectious uveitis accompanying Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease or sarcoidosis

PURPOSE

Non-infectious uveitis associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease or sarcoidosis is commonly treated with systemic corticosteroids (SCS). We assessed the use of SCS for non-infectious uveitis relapses in Japanese clinical practice.

STUDY DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective chart review (UMIN Clinical Trial Registry; UMIN000032390).

METHODS

One hundred fifty-seven patients (15- ≤ 75 years; 103 VKH disease, 54 sarcoidosis) given SCS to treat a relapse of non-infectious intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis accompanying VKH disease or sarcoidosis were studied (August 2011-December 2018). SCS dose and duration, concomitant medications, subsequent relapses, and steroid-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were analyzed for 12 months after target relapse treatment. Relationships between background factors and total SCS dose were analyzed (logistic regression).

RESULTS

Mean (± SD) total SCS dose over 12 months after target relapse treatment was 3874 ± 2775 mg, and was higher in patients with immunosuppressants than in those without (4575 mg vs 3496 mg). Immunosuppressant use was the only factor significantly associated with higher total SCS dose (p = 0.0196). Mean duration of SCS treatment for relapse was 318.7 ± 89.3 days. Only 29.3% of patients were steroid-free after 12 months; the percentage was higher in patients without immunosuppressants (36.3% vs 16.4%). Subsequent relapse was experienced by 39.5% of patients, and 13.4% had a steroid-related ADR (mostly glaucoma or diabetes).

CONCLUSION

In Japanese clinical practice, many patients with recurrent uveitis accompanying VKH disease or sarcoidosis received SCS for relapse for ≥ 300 days, suggesting that reducing corticosteroids is challenging in patients with difficulty suppressing inflammation.

Methotrexate Effectively Controls Ocular Inflammation in Japanese Patients With Non-infectious Uveitis

This single-center retrospective study investigated the clinical characteristics and efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis for more than 6 months at Hiroshima University, from February 2016 to May 2021. Outcome variables included changes in systemic immunosuppressive treatment and intraocular inflammation. Out of 448 patients with non-infectious uveitis, 35 patients (14 male patients and 21 female patients; 65 eyes) treated with MTX for more than 6 months were analyzed. There were 15 patients with anterior uveitis and 20 with posterior and panuveitis. The mean dose of systemic corticosteroids decreased from 12.1 mg/day at baseline to 1.3 mg/day at 6 months and 0.6 mg at 12 months after starting MTX, and approximately 90% of patients were corticosteroid-free at 12 months. The percentage of eyes with inactive uveitis at 6, 12, and 24 months was 49.2%, 59.6%, and 90.0%, respectively. Mean relapse rate score also significantly decreased from 2.88 at baseline to 0.85 at 12 months (p < 0.001). Inflammatory control was achieved with MTX doses of 8-16 mg/week, with a median dose of 12 mg/week. Adverse effects of MTX were observed in 34.3% of patients, and 11.4% required discontinuation; most commonly hepatotoxicity (58.3%), followed by fatigue (25.0%), and hair loss (16.7%). No significant differences were found between the survival curves of patients with anterior uveitis and posterior/panuveitis (Wilcoxon rank-sum test). The percentage of eyes without IOP-lowering eye drops was significantly higher in patients with posterior/panuveitis at 24 months (p = 0.001). Our study suggests that MTX is effective in controlling ocular inflammation for Japanese patients with non-infectious uveitis. Relatively high incidence of MTX-related adverse effects in the Japanese population indicates that careful monitoring and dose adjustments are crucial for the long-term use of this therapy.

Toxicity and in vivo release profile of sirolimus from implants into the vitreous of rabbits' eyes

PURPOSE

To assess the in vivo release profile and the retinal toxicity of a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sustained-release sirolimus (SRL) intravitreal implant in normal rabbit eyes.

METHODS

PLGA intravitreal implants containing or not SRL were prepared, and the viability of ARPE-19 and hES-RPE human retinal cell lines was examined after 24 and 72 h of exposure to implants. New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups that received intravitreal implants containing or not SRL. At each time point (1-8 weeks), four animals from the SRL group were euthanized, the vitreous was collected, and drug concentration was calculated. Clinical evaluation of the eyes was performed weekly for 8 weeks after administration. Electroretinography (ERG) was recorded in other eight animals, four for each group, at baseline and at 24 h, 1, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after the injection. ERG was carried out using scotopic and photopic protocols. The safety of the implants was assessed using statistical analysis of the ERG parameters (a and b waves, a and b implicit time, B/A ratio, oscillatory potential, and Naka-Rushton analysis) comparing the functional integrity of the retina between the PLGA and SRL-PLGA groups. After the last electrophysiological assessment, the rabbits were euthanized and retinal histopathology was realized.

RESULTS

After 24 and 72 h of incubation with PLGA or SRL-PLGA implants, ARPE-19 and hES-RPE cells showed viability over 70%. The maximum concentration of SRL (199.8 ng/mL) released from the device occurred within 4 weeks. No toxic effects of the implants or increase in the intraocular pressure was observed through clinical evaluation of the eye. ERG responses showed no significant difference between the eyes that received PLGA or SRL-PLGA implants at baseline and throughout the 8 weeks of follow-up. No remarkable difference in retinal histopathology was detected in rabbit eyes treated with PLGA or SRL-PLGA implants.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravitreal PLGA or SRL-PLGA implants caused no significant reduction in cell viability and showed no evident toxic effect on the function or structure of the retina of the animals. SRL was released from PLGA implant after application in the vitreous of rabbits during 8 weeks.

Genetics and immunodysfunction underlying Behçet's disease and immunomodulant treatment approaches

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic autoimmune condition primarily prevalent in populations along the Mediterranean Sea. The exact etiology of BD has not been fully explained yet, but the disease occurrence is associated with a genetic factor, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B51 antigen. Among the various immunodysfunctions that are found in BD, patients are increased neutrophil motility and superoxide production, as well as elevated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and decreased production of interleukin (IL)-10. Elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines like IL-1 and IL-17 in BD have been found associated with aberrant expression of microRNA. Gene polymorphisms in BD patients have been observed in molecules involved in responses to pathogens that can ultimately modulate the host antimicrobial response. Moreover, several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported in genes encoding chemokines and adhesion molecules; many of these changes manifest as increases in vascular inflammation and vascular damage. Lastly, genetic and epigenetic changes have been suggested as involved in the pathogenesis of BD. Modifications in DNA methylation have been found in BD patient monocytes and lymphocytes, leading to adverse function of these cells. This review presents a comprehensive compilation of the literature with regard to the immunodysfunction underlying BD, as well as of the genetics, newly described clinical specifications and novel treatment strategies using immunomodulants based on the current understanding of BD.

Therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells administered at later phase of recurrent experimental autoimmune uveitis

AIM

To test the therapeutic effects of delayed treatment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in recurrent experimental autoimmune uveitis (rEAU).

METHODS

The efficacy of different regimens of MSC administration in rEAU were tested by evaluation of clinical and pathological intraocular inflammation, as well as retinal structural and functional integrity using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and electroretinogram (ERG). The retinal sections were also immunostained with antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and rhodopsin (RHO).

RESULTS

Delayed treatment of MSCs effectively alleviated the severity of intraocular inflammation with relative intact of outer retinal structure and function. Moreover, double therapies with longer interval led to an even better clinical evaluation, as well as a trend of decrease in relapse and amelioration of retinal function. MSC therapies also effectively reduced GFAP expression and increased RHO expression in the retina.

CONCLUSION

MSC administration can effectively treat developed diseases of rEAU, and multiple therapies can provide additional therapeutic benefits.

Sepsis During Immunosuppression for Sight-threatening Uveitis: The Flip side

PURPOSE

To highlight the rare but life-threatening infective consequences of immunosuppression or biologic treatment for sight-threatening uveitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective case series of four immunosuppressed patients with uveitis complicated by sepsis.

RESULTS

The affected patients were all treated using prednisolone 10 mg/day or greater, together with oral immunosuppression (2 mycophenolate mofetil, 1 azathioprine + ciclosporin, 1 methotrexate) and, in one case, infliximab. All patients survived following intensive treatment.

CONCLUSION

Life-threatening infection is a rare but important risk in immunosuppressed patients with uveitis. Complete protection is not possible and prophylaxis regimens are of unproven efficacy. Patients should understand the risks before agreeing to a course of treatment.