Purpose

Non-infectious non-anterior uveitis may cause severe ocular complications leading to loss of visual function and blindness. Being a chronic disease, most cases need long-term immunosuppression using DMARDs. Initiating therapy is often included in international and national treatment guidelines, but no reliable recommendations exist on when and how to reduce /discontinue treatment once disease is quiescent.

Methods

This registry is an observational, non-commercial, and non-interventional study and targets patients who are ≥18 years of age with non-infectious uveitis of the posterior segment or retinal vasculitis.

Results

Data are entered prospectively at 28 study sites in Germany and one in Austria through a web-based interface into electronic case report forms (eCRF) implemented in the electronic data capture software REDCap (Version 9, Vanderbilt University, USA). Collected data include ophthalmological, general medical history and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as well as ophthalmological imaging data at selected sites. Up to now 526 patients could be included. The majority had intermediate (39%), followed by posterior (29%) and Panuveitis (26%). Retinal vasculitis was present in 7% of patients.

Conclusions

The evidence generated by TOFU will support standardizing management of non-infectious uveitis, will improve treatment outcomes, reduce unwanted side effects, treatment costs, sick days off work as well as increase quality of life of the affected patients.