Azathioprine for ocular inflammatory diseases.

Purpose: To evaluate treatment outcomes of azathioprine for noninfectious ocular inflammatory diseases.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Medical records of 145 patients starting azathioprine as a sole noncorticosteroid immunosuppressant at 4 tertiary uveitis services were reviewed. Main outcome measures included control of ocular inflammation, sustained control after tapering prednisone to
Results: Among 145 patients (255 eyes) treated with azathioprine, 63% had uveitis, 23% had mucous membrane pemphigoid, 11% had scleritis, and 3% had other inflammatory diseases. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, 62% (95% confidence interval [CI], 50% to 74%) of patients with active disease initially gained complete inactivity of inflammation sustained over at least 28 days within 1 year of therapy, and 47% (95% CI, 37% to 58%) tapered systemic corticosteroids to
Conclusions: Azathioprine was moderately effective as a single corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive agent in terms of control of inflammation and corticosteroid-sparing benefits, but required several months to achieve treatment goals; it seems especially useful for patients with intermediate uveitis. Treatment-limiting side effects occurred in approximately one-fourth of patients within 1 year, but typically were reversible.