title: Efficacy of adalimumab for a refractory case of relapsing polychondritis with reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
abstract: A 68-year-old man with a fever of unknown origin was admitted to our hospital. Bilateral auricularis and nasal root inflammation, with auricular perichondritis positive for anti-type II collagen (CII) antibody, led to a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis (RP). Because the patient was refractory for high-dose glucocorticoid therapy, adalimumab was used. After the initiation of 40 mg of adalimumab, a rapid improvement of clinical manifestations, with a reduction in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), together with a titer of anti-CII antibody was observed.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Translational Medicine, Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. nhideki@nagasaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: Tomayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawakami
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068879:Adalimumab