Inefficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins and infliximab in Degos' disease.
We report the case of a 60-year-old man who presented with sudden visual loss, a history of postprandial abdominal pain, malabsorption, and skin lesions typical of systemic Degos' disease. Despite anti-aggregants and prednisone the patient's status did not improve. On the basis of the hypothetical dysimmune origin of this disease, we attempted treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, without success. We then administered infliximab (Remicade), but 2 months after the third injection the patient developed mesenteric infarction and died. We therefore believe that both intravenous immunoglobulins and antiTNFalpha are ineffective for the treatment of Degos' disease.
Service de Médecine Interne Générale, Hôpital Erasme, ULB, 808 Route de Lennik 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium. Sandra.De.Breucker@erasme.ulb.ac.be
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D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D054853:Malignant Atrophic Papulosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab