Keiko Ito1, Kentaro Shikata2, Kouichi Haba3, Takaaki Ito4. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nishinihon Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan, itou@nishinihon.or.jp. 2. Department of Gastrointestinal Medicine, Nishinihon Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. 3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kumamoto Municipal Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. 4. Department of Pathology and Experimental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Some oral ulcers are refractory to treatment. Recently, anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents have been shown to induce relatively long remissions of refractory oral ulcers. METHODS: A 69-year man presented with a sore throat caused by a pharyngeal ulcer in the soft palate and subsequently repeatedly developed oropharyngolaryngeal ulcers and an ulcer in the ileocecal region. Intestinal Behçet disease was suspected, but he did not meet the diagnostic criteria for this condition. Seven months after the initial presentation, he developed a lingual ulcer that did not resolve despite treatment with prednisolone. Given the suspicion of intestinal Behçet disease, 300 mg of infliximab was administered intravenously. RESULTS: After the third dose of infliximab with prednisolone, the ulcer began to improve. He received infliximab every 8 weeks thereafter and developed no new oropharyngolaryngeal ulcers during the 17 months after the first infusion of infliximab. CONCLUSIONS: When a patient has refractory oral ulcers, attention must be paid to digestive symptoms and whether the patient has a systemic disease such as Behçet disease investigated. Furthermore, administration of infliximab to patients with refractory ulcers can be considered even when they do not fulfill the clinical criteria for a systemic disease.
PURPOSE: Some oral ulcers are refractory to treatment. Recently, anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents have been shown to induce relatively long remissions of refractory oral ulcers. METHODS: A 69-year man presented with a sore throat caused by a pharyngeal ulcer in the soft palate and subsequently repeatedly developed oropharyngolaryngeal ulcers and an ulcer in the ileocecal region. Intestinal Behçet disease was suspected, but he did not meet the diagnostic criteria for this condition. Seven months after the initial presentation, he developed a lingual ulcer that did not resolve despite treatment with prednisolone. Given the suspicion of intestinal Behçet disease, 300 mg of infliximab was administered intravenously. RESULTS: After the third dose of infliximab with prednisolone, the ulcer began to improve. He received infliximab every 8 weeks thereafter and developed no new oropharyngolaryngeal ulcers during the 17 months after the first infusion of infliximab. CONCLUSIONS: When a patient has refractory oral ulcers, attention must be paid to digestive symptoms and whether the patient has a systemic disease such as Behçet disease investigated. Furthermore, administration of infliximab to patients with refractory ulcers can be considered even when they do not fulfill the clinical criteria for a systemic disease.
Authors: Milena Oliveira Freitas; Alline Pereira Rodrigues Fonseca; Maria Thaynara de Aguiar; Camila Costa Dias; Rafael Linard Avelar; Fabrício Bitu Sousa; Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes Alves; Paulo Goberlânio de Barros Silva Journal: Inflammopharmacology Date: 2022-08-10 Impact factor: 5.093