Combination therapy of infliximab and thalidomide for refractory entero-Behcet's disease: a case report

BACKGROUND: Behcet's disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory disease with the histopathological features of leukocytoclastic vasculitis that affects nearly all organs and systems. When it involves the intestine, it is called entero-Behcet's disease (entero-BD). CASE PRESENTATION: Here we described a 23-year-old man with entero-BD refractory to conventional therapies who responded well to the combination therapy of infliximab, an anti-tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF)-alpha antibody, and thalidomide. After combination treatment, the patient’s symptoms improved greatly and his Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score decreased from 344 to 52 points, accompanied by a body weight increase from 53 kg to 64 kg. A follow-up endoscopy performed 10 weeks after the treatment showed significant improvement and the patient's multiple ulcers had healed well. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy of infliximab and thalidomide appears to be clinically effective in a patient with refractory entero-BD. However, further studies need to be performed to evaluate the efficacy of this combination therapy.