TNF-α antagonists are used to treat various rheumatic diseases including sarcoidosis. However, there have been increasing reports of sarcoidosis in relation to treatment using these drugs. The pathogenesis of this reaction remains unknown. This is a report of a clinical case of sarcoidosis in Behçet's disease (DB) with mucocutaneous and intestinal involvement in treatment using adalimumab, with improvement after anti-TNF suspension and corticosteroid therapy.
Learning points: This clinical case demonstrates the efficacy of the anti-TNFa adalimumab in the treatment of Behçet with intestinal manifestations and not responsive to other therapeutics.To our knowledge it is the first time it is described a case of sarcoid reaction in a patient with Behçet treated with adalimumab.It shows how two complications of the use of immunosuppressants (sarcoid reaction and Legionella pneumophila pneumonia) in the same patient can difficult the correct diagnosis because of the many and overlapping clinical manifestations.
Keywords: Adalimumab; Behcet’s disease; Legionella pneumonia; pulmonary sarcoidosis.