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D. Anesi S, Y. Chang P, Maleki A, Stephenson A, Montieth A, Filipowicz A, Syeda S, Asgari S, Walsh M, Lynne Metzinger J, Foster CS. Treatment of Noninfectious Retinal Vasculitis Using Subcutaneous Repository Corticotropin Injection. JOVR [Internet]. 2021Apr.29 [cited 2024Apr.19];16(2):219–233. Available from: https://knepublishing.com/index.php/JOVR/article/view/9086

https://doi.org/10.18502/jovr.v16i2.9086

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authors

  • Stephen D. Anesi

    Stephen D. Anesi

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Peter Y. Chang

    Peter Y. Chang

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Arash Maleki

    Arash Maleki

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Andrew Stephenson

    Andrew Stephenson

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Alyssa Montieth

    Alyssa Montieth

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Artur Filipowicz

    Artur Filipowicz

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Sarah Syeda

    Sarah Syeda

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Soheila Asgari

    Soheila Asgari

    Noor Ophthalmology Research Center, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran
  • Marisa Walsh

    Marisa Walsh

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • Jamie Lynne Metzinger

    Jamie Lynne Metzinger

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States
  • C. Stephen Foster

    C. Stephen Foster

    Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution, Waltham, MA, United States

Published Date

  • Apr 29, 2021
This journal is publishing all the articles under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

Treatment of Noninfectious Retinal Vasculitis Using Subcutaneous Repository Corticotropin Injection

Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research (JOVR) / April–June 2021, Volume 16, Issue 2 / Pages 219–233

Abstract

Purpose: To show whether subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection (RCI, Acthar® Gel, a repository corticotropin injection, can be an effective potential therapeutic agent for noninfectious retinal vasculitis.


Methods: Patients with active retinal vasculitis were followed with serial ultra-widefield fluorescein angiograms and treated with 80 units of subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection twice weekly.


Results: Primary outcome of ≥50% improvement in response level (RL) for retinal vasculitis and percent improvement in retinal vasculitis severity scoring (RVSS) by more than one quartile (≥25%) at week 12 was met in 15 and 16 of the 30 total eyes, respectively, including 1 eye with severe retinal vasculitis in each group. Complete resolution of retinal vasculitis was seen in seven eyes with a mean time of 17.1 weeks. Intraocular pressure elevation requiring therapy and cataract progression were noted in two and three eyes, respectively. One patient stopped medication due to side effects (injection site reaction).


Conclusion: Repository corticotropin injection was well-tolerated overall. Repository corticotropin injection may be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of noninfectious retinal vasculitis.

Keywords:

Acthar, Corticotropin Gel, Fluorescein Angiography, Ocular Inflammation, Retinal Vasculitis, Uveitis

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