title: Improvement of small fiber neuropathy in a sarcoidosis patient after treatment with infliximab.
abstract: We describe a patient with severe small fiber neuropathy (SFN) accompanied by autonomic involvement, who was experimentally treated with infliximab, an anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) therapy. Six months after this treatment was started his symptoms completely resolved. Until now they did not return. Repeated temperature threshold testing (TTT) as well as cardiovascular autonomic function test clearly improved after one year therapy. This case reveals two important issues. First, it shows that SFN seems not an irreversible disorder, even in severe cases. Second, TNF-alpha may be a crucial cytokine in the pathogenesis of SFN in sarcoidosis and eventually also in other immune mediated inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elske
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoitsma
authors.forename: Carin G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Santen-Hoeufft
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Vries
authors.forename: Jos P H
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reulen
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drent
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000069285:Infliximab