Low dose cyclosporin A versus pulsed cyclophosphamide in Behcet's syndrome: A single masked trial

Abstract

A single masked trial of cyclosporin A 5 mg/kg/day versus monthly 1 g intravenous boluses of cyclophosphamide was conducted among 23 patients with Behcet's syndrome and active, potentially reversible uveitis. The trial was unmasked after a mean of 12 (SD 2) months for the cyclosporin A group (n=12) and a mean of 10 (SD 3) months for the cyclophosphamide group (n=11). During the initial 6 months the visual acuity significantly improved (p<0.001) in the cyclosporin A group whereas this was not observed in the cyclophosphamide group. The subsequent follow-up of patients up to 24 months suggested that the initial improvement in visual acuity with cyclosporin A was not sustained. More extensive and especially longterm studies of cyclosporin A in the uveitis of Behcet's syndrome are warranted.