Effect of Systemic Infliximab Therapy in Patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome

• Main Authors: Elif Betül Türkoğlu, Serpil Tuna, Sevil Alan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2015-08-01
• Series: Türk Oftalmoloji Dergisi
• Subjects: Dry eye; infliximab; Sjögren’s syndrome; tumor necrosis factor
• Online Access: http://www.oftalmoloji.org/article_9129/Effect-Of-Systemic-Infliximab-Therapy-In-Patients-With-sjogrens-Syndrome

Objectives: To investigate the effect of systemic infliximab therapy on tear function tests and the ocular surface in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome secondary to various autoimmune diseases. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 22 eyes of 22 patients with Sjögren’s syndrome who began treatment with systemic infliximab. Tear film break-up time (TBUT), anesthetized Schirmer’s 1 test, fluorescein staining test, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were recorded before treatment and in the 3rd and 6th months of treatment. Results: In the 3rd month of infliximab therapy, no significant changes were observed in Schirmer’s values, TBUT, fluorescein staining, or OSDI scores (p=0.260, p=0.357, p=0.190 and p=0.07, respectively). In the 6th month of infliximab therapy, no significant changes were observed in TBUT, fluorescein staining, Schirmer’s value or OSDI scores (p=0.510, p=0.320, p=0.220 and p=0.344, respectively). Conclusion: Infliximab therapy, which is commonly used in systemic autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and ankylosing spondylitis, did not show a positive effect on ocular surface and tear function tests. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2015; 45: 138-141)