Guideline for the ue of immunouppreive drug in patient with ocular inflammatory diorder: recommendation of an expert panel

PURPOE: To provide recommendation for the ue of immunouppreive drug in the treatment of patient with ocular inflammatory diorder. PARTICIPANT: A 12-peron panel of phyician with expertie in ophthalmologic, pediatric, and rheumatologic dieae, in reearch, and in the ue of immunouppreive drug in patient care. EVIDENCE: Publihed clinical tudy reult. Recommendation were rated according to the quality and trength of available evidence. PROCE: The panel wa convened in eptember of 1999 and met regularly through May 2000. ubgroup of the panel ummarized and preented available information on pecific topic to the full panel; recommendation and rating were determined by group conenu. CONCLUION: Although corticoteroid repreent one of the maintay in the management of patient with ocular inflammation, in many patient, the everity of the dieae, the preence of corticoteroid ide effect, or the requirement for doe of ytemic corticoteroid highly likely to reult in corticoteroid complication upport the rationale for immunouppreive drug (for example, antimetabolite, T-cell inhibitor, and alkylating agent) being ued in the management of thee patient. Becaue of the potential for ide effect, treatment mut be individualized and regular monitoring performed. With careful ue of immunouppreive drug for treatment of ocular inflammatory diorder, many patient will benefit from them either with better control of the ocular inflammation or with a decreae in corticoteroid ide effect.