title: Late response to anti-TNF-α therapy in refractory mucocutaneous lesions of Behçet's disease.
abstract: Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by oral and genital ulceration and ocular involvement. Recurrent oral and genital ulcers are the most common symptoms of BD and occur in more than 80% of patients. The treatments of these disease manifestations include colchicine, corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs in severe cases. Anti-TNF-α therapy may be useful in refractory severe BD, particularly for ocular, central nervous system, gastrointestinal and refractory mucocutaneous lesions. During a 2-year period, 280 patients suffering from rheumatic diseases received anti-TNF-α agents at the infusion center of our University Hospital. Two patients (0.7%) presented BD; one of them had celiac disease as well, with recalcitrant mucocutaneous lesions that were not responsive to immunosuppressive drugs. We reported those patients who were successfully treated with infliximab and adalimumab, despite their late response.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Reumatologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Cerqueira César, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nádia Emi
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Aikawa
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Clovis Artur Almeida
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Célio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Eloísa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonfá
authors.forename: Jozélio Freire
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008875:Middle Aged; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab