Efficacy of Anti-TNFα in Severe and Refractory Neuro-Behcet Disease: An Observational Study

Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Jun;95(23):e3550. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000003550.

Abstract

To report the safety and efficacy of anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) therapy in severe and refractory neuro-Behçet disease (NBD) patients.Observational, multicenter study including 17 BD patients (70.6% of male, with a median age of 39.3 [24-60] years), with symptomatic parenchymal NBD, refractory to previous immunosuppressant and treated with anti-TNFα (infliximab 5 mg/kg [n = 13] or adalimumab [n = 4]). Complete remission was defined by the disappearance of all neurological symptoms and by the improvement of radiological abnormalities at 12 months.Overall improvement following anti-TNF was evidenced in 16/17 (94.1%) patients including 6 (35.3%) complete response and 10 (58.8%) partial response. The median time to achieve remission was 3 months (1-6). The median Rankin score was 2 (1-4) at the initiation of anti-TNFα versus 1 (0-4) at the time of remission (P = 0.01). Corticosteroids have been stopped in 4 (23.5%) patients, and reduced by more than 50% as compared with the dosage at baseline in 10 (58.8%) patients. Side effects occurred in 23.5% of patients and required treatment discontinuation in 17% of cases.TNF blockade represents an effective therapeutic approach for patients with severe and refractory NBD, a difficult to treat population.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adalimumab / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Behcet Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infliximab / therapeutic use*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Remission Induction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Infliximab
  • Adalimumab