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Adalimumab for the treatment of Behcet’s disease: experience in 19 patients
Rheumatology, 08/02/2012
Clinical Article
Perra D et al. – Adalimumab is a valid option for patients with Behcet’s disease and recalcitrant non–controlling manifestations with good safety profile.
Methods- Retrospective chart review from patients with BD treated with adalimumab in two specialized Spanish centres (Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada and Hospital Clínic, Barcelona).
- From November 2006 to February 2011, 19 patients with BD were treated with adalimumab.
- The reason to initiate adalimumab was refractory disease in 17 (89.5%) patients and adverse events to CSA and infliximab in two (10.5%) patients, respectively.
- The main clinical manifestations leading to adalimumab administration were panuveitis in eight patients, severe bipolar aphthosis in eight, retinal vasculitis in three and severe folliculitis in three.
- Overall, adalimumab achieved clinical improvement in 17 of the 19 patients.
- Of note, ocular manifestations (panuveitis and retinal vasculitis) responded rapidly in all cases.
- In addition to clinical improvement, treatment with adalimumab was associated with reduction in the number and dose of standard immunosuppressive agents.
- Of interest, seven patients had received TNF- α inhibitors before adalimumab, five infliximab and the remaining two etanercept.
- Adalimumab was withdrawn in only one patient due to severe infusional reaction in the form of urticaria and angioedema.