J Rheum Dis.  2014 Aug;21(4):209-213. 10.4078/jrd.2014.21.4.209.

Successful Treatment of Child Neuro-Behcet's Disease with Infliximab

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. khkim99@yuhs.ac

Abstract

Behcet's disease is a systemic vasculitis, characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, recurrent genital ulcers, skin lesion, and ocular involvement. Monoclonal antibody to the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is considered as a possible therapeutic approach to achieve clinical improvement, preventing relapse in Behcet's disease refractory to conventional anti-inflammatory drugs or immunosuppressive durgs. We report the use of infliximab, which is one of the TNF-alpha monoclonal antibodies, in a 17-year-old girl with Behcet's disease exhibiting severe mucocutaneous, ocular and neurological involvement refractory to standard treatment.

Keyword

Child; Neuro-Behcet disease; Infliximab

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Child*
Female
Humans
Recurrence
Skin Ulcer
Stomatitis, Aphthous
Systemic Vasculitis
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Infliximab
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

  • Figure 1. (A) MRI axial T1 image. Thickening of dura along left sphenoid wing is shown. (B) Coronal T1 image. Increased signal from optic canal to left lateral rectus muscle. (C, D) MRI: axial fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) image. Focal high signal intensity lesions are noted in the left temporal lobe and left frontal base, suggestive of recurrent inflammation.

  • Figure 2. Image of fundoscopy. Swelling and hyperemia of the disk, blurring of disk margin, and distended veins suggest that the patient has optic neuritis.

  • Figure 3. MRI: axial FLAIR image. (A, B) Follow-up image shows decreased signal intensity in the same lesion 1 month after treatment with infliximab. (C, D) Follow-up image shows normalized signal intensity in previous lesion 18 month after treatment with infliximab.

  • Figure 4. Summary of patient's medications.


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