Evaluation of disease activity in uveoretinitis associated with Behçet's disease

Decoding Behcet's Uveitis: an In-depth review of pathogenesis and therapeutic advances

Behcet's disease (BD) is a rare but globally distributed vasculitis that primarily affects populations in the Mediterranean and Asian regions. Behcet's uveitis (BU) is a common manifestation of BD, occurring in over two-thirds of the patients. BU is characterized by bilateral, chronic, recurrent, non-granulomatous uveitis in association with complications such as retinal ischemia and atrophy, optic atrophy, macular ischemia, macular edema, and further neovascular complications (vitreous hemorrhage, neovascular glaucoma). Although the etiology and pathogenesis of BU remain unclear, numerous studies reveal that genetic factors (such as HLA-B51), dysregulated immune responses of both the innate and adaptive immune systems, infections (such as streptococcus), and environmental factors (such as GDP) are all involved in its development. Innate immunity, including hyperactivity of neutrophils and γδT cells and elevated NK1/NK2 ratios, has been shown to play an essential role in this disease. Adaptive immune system disturbance, including homeostatic perturbations, Th1, Th17 overaction, and Treg cell dysfunction, is thought to be involved in BU pathogenesis. Treatment of BU requires a tailored approach based on the location, severity of inflammation, and systemic manifestations. The therapy aims to achieve rapid inflammation suppression, preservation of vision, and prevention of recurrence. Systemic corticosteroids combined with other immunosuppressive agents have been widely used to treat BU, and beneficial effects are observed in most patients. Recently, biologics have been shown to be effective in treating refractory BU cases. Novel therapeutic targets for treating BU include the LCK gene, Th17/Treg balance, JAK pathway inhibition, and cytokines such as IL-17 and RORγt. This article summarizes the recent studies on BU, especially in terms of pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria and classification, auxiliary examination, and treatment options. A better understanding of the significance of microbiome composition, genetic basis, and persistent immune mechanisms, as well as advancements in identifying new biomarkers and implementing objective quantitative detection of BU, may greatly contribute to improving the adequate management of BU patients.

Behçet's disease uveitis

Uveitis in Behçet's disease (BD) is frequent (40% of cases) and is a major cause of morbidity. The age of onset of uveitis is between 20 and 30 years. Ocular involvement includes anterior, posterior or panuveitis. It is non-granulomatous. Uveitis may be the first sign of the disease in 20% of cases or it may appear 2 or 3 years after the first symptoms. Panuveitis is the most common presentation and is more commonly found in men. Bilateralisation usually occurs on average 2 years after the first symptoms. The estimated risk of blindness at 5 years is 10-15%. BD uveitis has several ophthalmological features that distinguish it from other uveitis. The main goals in the management of patients are the rapid resolution of intraocular inflammation, prevention of recurrent attacks, achievement of complete remission, and preservation of vision. Biologic therapies have changed the management of intraocular inflammation. The aim of this review is to provide an update previous article by our team on pathogenesis, diagnostic approaches, identification of factors associated with relapse and the therapeutic strategy of BD uveitis.

Behçet's Disease Uveitis

Uveitis in Behçet's disease (BD) is frequent (40% of cases) and is a major cause of morbidity. The age of onset of uveitis is between 20 and 30 years. Ocular involvement includes anterior, posterior, or panuveitis. Uveitis may be the first sign of the disease in 20% of cases or it may appear 2 or 3 years after the first symptoms. Panuveitis is the most common presentation and is more commonly found in men. Bilateralization usually occurs on average 2 years after the first symptoms. The estimated risk of blindness at 5 years is 10-15%. BD uveitis has several ophthalmological features that distinguish it from other uveitis. The main goals in the management of patients are the rapid resolution of intraocular inflammation, the prevention of recurrent attacks, the achievement of complete remission, and the preservation of vision. Biologic therapies have changed the management of intraocular inflammation. The aim of this review is to provide an update to a previous article by our team on pathogenesis, diagnostic approaches, and the therapeutic strategy of BD uveitis.

Uveitis in Behçet disease - an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Uveitis is a major manifestation of Behçet disease (BD) and potentially has a high morbidity. This article reviews recently published data on BD uveitis.

RECENT FINDINGS

A set of classification criteria and a diagnostic algorithm have been developed for BD uveitis. Recent reports have confirmed male predominance and posterior segment inflammation in the majority of BD uveitis patients. A high uveitis attack severity score, fluorescein angiographic leakage at the posterior pole, and disruption of outer retinal layers on optical coherence tomography (OCT) predict poor visual outcome. OCT-angiography studies have suggested subclinical changes of retinal capillaries in patients with or without ocular involvement. In a randomized controlled trial, interferon-α was superior to cyclosporine. Favorable outcomes were reported with earlier initiation, optimization, and withdrawal of infliximab after remission. Adalimumab as first-line was superior to conventional therapy.

SUMMARY

Classification criteria will be used to select a homogeneous group of patients for research and the diagnostic algorithm may help ophthalmologists predict the probability of BD uveitis based on ocular findings. Fluorescein angiography and OCT are the routine imaging modalities. Clinical relevance of OCT-angiography is unclear. Interferon-α, infliximab, and adalimumab have proven superior efficacy compared to conventional therapy.

Macrophage-like Cells Characterized by En Face Optical Coherence Tomography was Associated with Fluorescein Vascular Leakage in Behçet's Uveitis

PURPOSE

To investigate the features of macrophage-like cell (MLC) characterized by en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) in Behçet's uveitis (BU).

METHODS

The extent of fluorescein vascular leakage (FVL) was graded on a scale of 0-3 (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe) for the optic nerve head (ONH), macula and peripheral retina. The 3μm en face OCT slabs on inner limiting membrane of ONH or macular region was used to visualize the MLCs.

RESULTS

The MLC densities of BU group in ONH and macular region were significantly higher than the control group (both p<0.001). The ONH and macular MLC density were significantly higher in eyes with higher FVL grade and they were positively correlated with FVL score (all p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

MLC density was elevated in Behçet's uveitis and it may serve as a noninvasive indicator for the severity of fluorescein leakage and retinal inflammation in Behcet's uveitis.

Ocular Manifestations of Behçet's Disease: An Update on Diagnostic Challenges and Disease Management

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis that affects multiple organs. The most common manifestations are oral and genital ulcerations and recurrent uveitis. Uveitis can be an initial symptom in 10-20% of cases and leads to blindness in 16-25% of patients. The management of this disease is evolving due to the clinical phenotypes recently described in the literature and increasing focus on the detection of subclinical inflammation to enable correct therapeutic decisions. The first line treatment is azathioprine, followed by various immunosuppressive and biological agents as alternatives in severe or refractory cases. This review summarizes scientific articles about the etiology of, diagnostic tools for and treatment of the ocular manifestations of Behçet's disease available in the PubMed database from 1 January 2016 to 1 May 2021. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to effectively prevent permanent damage and thus improve the life quality of the patients. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness of the common clusters of symptoms, use of modern imaging methods, such as ocular computed tomography and fluorescein angiography, and novelty treatment algorithms to enable early diagnosis and appropriate management.

Fluorescein angiographic findings and Behcet's disease ocular attack score 24 (BOS24) as prognostic factors for visual outcome in patients with ocular Behcet's disease

Purpose

To determine the application of fluorescein angiographic (FA) findings and Behcet’s disease ocular attack score 24 (BOS24) scoring system in predicting poor visual outcome in patients with ocular Behcet’s disease.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

We included 73 eyes of 38 patients with ocular Behcet’s disease who underwent FA and reviewed FA images, anterior chamber cells, vitreous opacity, retinal and optic disc lesions, which are parameters in BOS24. The correlation between FA findings, BOS24, and visual acuity was assessed.

Results

Optic disc hyperfluoresence (74%), diffuse posterior pole leakage (52%) and diffuse peripheral leakage (52%) were the three most common findings. Common complications were peripheral capillary nonperfusion (29%), arterial narrowing (22%), and macular ischemia (19%). BOS24 scores of ≥ 6 (p < 0.0001), arterial narrowing (p < 0.0001), and severe posterior pole leakage (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with poor visual outcome. Combining significant FA findings: arterial narrowing and severe posterior pole leakage, to BOS24 ≥ 6 results in an increased relative risk of developing poor visual acuity from 7.30 to 10.43 and 1.89 to 2.02 respectively.

Conclusion

Fluorescein angiography is an important investigation for predicting poor visual outcome. BOS24 may be a useful alternative when fluorescein angiographic is unavailable.

Behçet's disease uveitis: is there a need for new emerging drugs?

Introduction: Behçet's disease uveitis (BDU) is a potentially blinding disorder. Systemic treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is mandatory in patients with intraocular inflammation involving the posterior segment of the eye. Areas covered: This article discusses existing systemic treatment with corticosteroids and conventional and biologic DMARDs as well as adjunctive local therapy in BDU. An overview is provided for a wide range of biologic DMARDs that have shown promise or investigated in clinical trials. Most recently introduced biologic DMARDs and targeted synthetic DMARDs are also reviewed for their potential in the treatment of BDU. Expert opinion: The prognosis of patients with BDU has remarkably improved after the introduction of biologic DMARDs. An expanding therapeutic armamentarium will allow treatment of most refractory cases. The ultimate goal is to provide drug-free remission with preservation of 20/20 vision.