CHICAGO—As good an option as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is for many patients with rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and especially lupus, safety must be an important consideration, an expert said at this April’s ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium. The use of the antimalarial has become a controversial subject, with clinicians trying to balance the drug’s disease-modifying…
Both due to its efficacy and favorable side effect profile when compared with alternative drugs for rheumatologic conditions, hydroxychloroquine is an important agent in rheumatologists’ armamentarium. However, one barrier to hydroxychloroquine use can be its effects on the eye (also see “Revised Retinopathy Screening Guidelines,”). Ocular side effects of hydroxychloroquine can include impact on the…