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Letter
Anti-tumour necrosis factor monoclonal antibody treatment for ocular Behçet's disease
  1. G Triolo1,
  2. M Vadalà2,
  3. A Accardo-Palumbo1,
  4. A Ferrante1,
  5. F Ciccia1,
  6. E Giardina1,
  7. P Citarrella3,
  8. G Lodato2,
  9. G Licata4
  1. 1Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Palermo University Hospital, Italy
  2. 2Division of Ophthalmology, Palermo University Hospital
  3. 3Division of Haematology, Palermo University Hospital
  4. 4Division of Internal Medicine, Palermo University Hospital
  1. Correspondence to:
    Professor G Triolo, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Istituto di Clinica Medica, Policlinico Universitario, Piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
    triolog{at}tiscalinet.it

https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.61.6.560

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    Ocular involvement is a common and serious component of Behçet's disease (BD). This manifestation worsens without treatment, and loss of vision occurs an average of 3.3 years after the onset of eye symptoms.1 High levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α have been found in the serum of patients with BD together with other proinflammatory cytokines.2,3 Many studies indicate a strong polarised Th1 immune response as in rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.4

    High affinity monoclonal anti-TNFα antibody treatment has been recently introduced for patients with Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis who were resistant to standard treatment. We describe the use of the anti-TNFα chimeric monoclonal antibody, infliximab (Remicade; Centocor Inc, Malvern, PA; Schering Plough SpA, Italy) in a patient with BD who exhibited a severe ocular involvement refractory to standard treatment.

    CASE REPORT

    An 18 year old man with BD was admitted in January 2001. He …

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