title: A patient with neuro-Behçet's disease is successfully treated with etanercept: further evidence for the value of TNFalpha blockade.
abstract: Behçet's disease is a chronic relapsing multisystem vasculitis with 49% of cases involving the CNS. Recently there have been two reports of neuro-Behçet's disease (NB) successfully treated with the tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) monoclonal antibody infliximab. We describe a patient with longstanding NB who was poorly responsive to azathioprine, cyclosporin, thalidomide and methotrexate. She showed a remarkable response when treated with the recombinant human TNFalpha receptor protein, etanercept. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of NB successfully treated with etanercept.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds LS1 3EX, United Kingdom. altyjane@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Alty
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Monaghan
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bamford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068800:Etanercept