Predictors of Relapse after Discontinuing Systemic Treatment in Childhood Autoimmune Chronic Uveitis

OBJECTIVE:
To identify clinical predictors of relapse in childhood autoimmune chronic uveitis after stopping systemic treatment.
METHODS:
A retrospective, multicenter, cohort study.
RESULTS:
Ninety-four children in remission, receiving no treatments and with at least a 6-month followup, were enrolled. A higher probability of maintaining remission after discontinuing treatment was shown in idiopathic compared with juvenile idiopathic arthritis uveitis (Mantel-Cox chi-square = 23.21) if inactivity had been obtained within 6 months from starting systemic treatment (Mantel- Cox chi-square = 24.17) and by antitumor necrosis factor-α treatment (Mantel-Cox chi-square = 6.43).
CONCLUSION:
Type of disease, time, and type of systemic therapy to achieve inactivity predict different duration of uveitis remission after treatment withdrawal