Sen HN, Levy-Clarke G, Faia LJ et al. Am J Ophthalmol 2009;148:696–703.e1.
Uveitis is common in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its treatment is problematic. Recent studies have suggested that blocking of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor system is an efficacious treatment for uveitis. The present trial demonstrated efficacy of IL-2 receptor blockade for the treatment of uveitis in JIA providing hope for a new avenue for treatment of this complication of JIA as well as suggesting a role for T cells in perpetuating uveitis in JIA.
In this open-label, prospective, Phase II pilot study, six patients (aged 6–18 years) with noninfectious juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis received daclizumab (an anti-interleukin-2 [IL-2] receptor antibody blocking activation of T cells via CD25) therapy for a total of 52 weeks. The study was performed at the National Eye Institute (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA).