Effect of Systemic Infliximab Therapy in Patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of systemic infliximab therapy on tear function tests and the ocular surface in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome secondary to various autoimmune diseases. MA­TE­RI­ALS AND MET­HODS: This prospective study included 22 eyes of 22 patients with Sjögren’s syndrome who began treatment with systemic infliximab. Tear film break-up time (TBUT), anesthetized Schirmer’s 1 test, fluorescein staining test, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were recorded before treatment and in the 3rd and 6th months of treatment. RE­SULTS: In the 3rd month of infliximab therapy, no significant changes were observed in Schirmer’s values, TBUT, fluorescein staining, or OSDI scores (p=0.260, p=0.357, p=0.190 and p=0.07, respectively). In the 6th month of infliximab therapy, no significant changes were observed in TBUT, fluorescein staining, Schirmer’s value or OSDI scores (p=0.510, p=0.320, p=0.220 and p=0.344, respectively). CONCLUSION: Infliximab therapy, which is commonly used in systemic autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and ankylosing spondylitis, did not show a positive effect on ocular surface and tear function tests.