title: Efficacy of adalimumab therapy for life-threatening pulmonary vasculitis in Behçet's disease.
abstract: Inflammatory large-vessel vasculitis in Behçet's disease may cause life-threatening arterial aneurysms that are prone to rupture. We report a patient with Behçet's disease with right ventricular thrombus and large aneurysms of the pulmonary arteries that led to recurrent episodes of hemoptysis. Following relapses and only partial response to repeated courses of cyclophosphamide and steroids, the patient was treated with adalimumab (Humira) and is now in clinical remission for over 30 months, with regression of her pulmonary lesions. Anti-TNFα treatment is a potential therapeutic option in patients with life-threatening complications due to large-vessel vasculitis.
authors: Department of Medicine, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Mt. Scopus, P.O. Box 24035, 91240, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: Suhail
authors: S
authors: Aamar
authors: Hagit
authors: H
authors: Peleg
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Leibowitz
authors: Tova
authors: T
authors: Chajek-Shaul
authors: Nurith
authors: N
authors: Hiller
authors: Samuel N
authors: SN
authors: Heyman
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000068879:Adalimumab