Involvement of the central nervous system is one of the most devastating manifestations of Behçet’s disease. We describe a patient with refractory neuro-Behçet’s disease, successfully treated by infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα).

A 36-year-old Japanese woman, already diagnosed as having Behçet’s disease on the basis of recurrent appearance of orogenital ulcers and bilateral uveitis, was referred to the First Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Biochemical Sciences, Nagashaki University Hospital. On admission, neurological examinations showed cerebellar ataxia and pyramidal tract involvement. Examination of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed a total cell count of 576/mm³ with 56% neutrophils; protein was 128 mg/dl. A conventional therapeutic regimen, including intravenous methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide and oral methotrexate, was used; however, she did not respond …