Weber-Christian disease with ileocolonic involvement successfully treated with infliximab

World J Gastroenterol. 2015 May 7;21(17):5417-20. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i17.5417.

Abstract

Weber-Christian disease (WCD) is an inflammatory disease whose main histological feature is lobular panniculitis of adipose tissue. The location of panniculitis determines the clinical presentation, being the subcutaneous adipose tissue the most frequent one, followed by liver, spleen, bone marrow and mesenteric adipose tissue. Systemic corticosteroids are first line treatment, but other options should be considered if systemic symptoms are observed or in case of refractory clinical situation. We report herein a case with WCD showing orbital, mesenteric and ileocolonic involvement, which required surgical treatment and also developed postoperative recurrence. Symptoms were resolved by administration of thalidomide and, afterwards, infliximab. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Weber-Christian disease with luminal ileocolonic involvement, treated with infliximab.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; Idiopathic lobular panniculitis; Ileocecal resection; Infliximab; Weber-Christian disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biopsy
  • Colonic Diseases / diagnosis
  • Colonic Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Colonic Diseases / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ileal Diseases / diagnosis
  • Ileal Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Ileal Diseases / surgery
  • Infliximab / therapeutic use*
  • Panniculitis, Nodular Nonsuppurative / diagnosis
  • Panniculitis, Nodular Nonsuppurative / drug therapy*
  • Panniculitis, Nodular Nonsuppurative / surgery
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Thalidomide / therapeutic use
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Thalidomide
  • Infliximab