Subcutaneous golimumab in the treatment of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated anterior uveitis after failing other tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SQ) golimumab (GLM) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated anterior uveitis who failed prior tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective case series included 16 eyes from 8 patients with JIA associated anterior uveitis who had previously failed at least one TNF-α inhibitor. Data collected included demographics, previous treatments, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and uveitis severity. Assessments were made at baseline, and at 3, 6, and 12 months following SQ GLM initiation. RESULTS: Eight patients (87.5% female, all white) with an average age of 18.6 years were included. Uveitis was bilateral and chronic in all cases. Five patients (62.5%) achieved remission after SQ GLM. The average logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution improved significantly from 0.11 at baseline before starting treatment to 0.03 at 12 months after starting treatment ( P = 0.006). No cystoid macular edema developed during the follow-up. SQ GLM was discontinued in three patients due to ineffectiveness and/or other reasons. No significant correlations were found between response to SQ GLM and clinical variables. No adverse effects were observed during the study period. CONCLUSION: SQ GLM shows promise in treating JIA associated anterior uveitis, especially in cases without severe complications. Significant improvement in BCVA and inflammation control suggests its potential as a treatment option, although further studies with larger populations are needed to confirm these findings.