title: Short-term trial of etanercept in Behçet's disease: a double blind, placebo controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocker etanercept on the pathergy and monosodium urate (MSU) status and on the mucocutaneous and articular manifestations of patients with Behçet's disease (BD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male patients with BD, all with positive pathergy and MSU tests and mucocutaneous disease and/or arthritis, were randomized (20 patients to each study arm) to receive either etanercept 25 mg twice a week or placebo for 4 weeks. The pathergy and MSU responses and the frequencies of mucocutaneous and articular manifestations were compared between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no decreases in the pathergy and MSU responses in the etanercept group compared to the placebo group at any time. The mean numbers of oral ulcers, nodular lesions, and papulopustular lesions were less in the etanercept group compared to the placebo group at all weekly evaluations, except for the second week for papulopustular lesions. The probability of being free of oral ulcers and nodular lesions was also significantly higher in the former group (log-rank chi-square = 9.83, p = 0.0017; log-rank chi-square = 14.17, p = 0.0002, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Etanercept did not affect the pathergy reaction and the cutaneous response to MSU crystals. However, the drug was effective in suppressing most of the mucocutaneous manifestations of BD.
authors.affiliation: The Behçet's Syndrome Research Center, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melikoglu
authors.forename: Izzet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fresko
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mat
authors.forename: Yilmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozyazgan
authors.forename: Feride
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gogus
authors.forename: Sebahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yurdakul
authors.forename: Vedat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hamuryudan
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazici
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000068800:Etanercept; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D010919:Placebos; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012882:Skin Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014527:Uric Acid
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010919:Placebos; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014527:Uric Acid; D000068800:Etanercept