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  • Vitale, Antonio; Rigante, Donato; Caso, Francesco; Brizi, Maria Giuseppina; Galeazzi, Mauro; Costa, Luisa; Franceschini, Rossella; Lucherini, Orso Maria; Cantarini, Luca

    Dermatology (Basel), 01/2014, Volume: 228, Issue: 3
    Journal Article

    Recommendations related to ocular, mucosal and cutaneous involvement of Behçet's disease (BD) are mainly evidence-based, but in cases of vascular, neurological and gastrointestinal involvement there are no guidelines to define the best treatment strategy. We report three adult patients with BD, who received an interleukin-1β inhibitor by subcutaneous injections, canakinumab (at the dosage of 150 mg every 6 weeks), after failure shown by corticosteroids and different combinations of immunosuppressant agents. The prompt and sustained clinical efficacy demonstrated by canakinumab as a monotherapy supports the opportunity of using this specific anti-interleukin-1β agent as a valid therapeutic option for resistant or refractory BD. Open trials and observational studies should be performed to test canakinumab efficacy on a larger number of patients. The most appropriate dosage and intervals between administrations should be decided according to the individual patient, severity or recurrence of clinical manifestations and major organ involvement.