title: Atypical presentation of Behçet's disease with central nervous system involvement successfully treated with infliximab.
abstract: Central nervous system involvement is a rare and serious complication of Behçet's disease (BD). Herein, we describe a patient with an atypical central lesion, who experienced progressive hypesthesia of the right arm and sensory loss of the trigeminal nerve together with intense headache. A repeated biopsy was necessary to conclusively establish the diagnosis of BD. Therapy with infusions of infliximab led to a remarkable full remission. TNFα-blocking therapy was successfully replaced by azathioprine. The present well-illustrated case demonstrates the difficulty of establishing the diagnosis of BD with central nervous system involvement, the dramatic benefit of short given TNF-α-blocking agent, and the long-term remission with azathioprin.
authors: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology/Allergology, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: U
authors: U
authors: Studer
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Ruehe
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Waldegg
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Vajtai
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Escher
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Aeberli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D057915:Drug Substitution; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000294:innervation*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D001379:Azathioprine