Mycophenolate mofetil as a novel immunosuppressant in the treatment of neuro-Behcet's disease with parenchymal involvement: presentation of four cases

Shugaiv E., Tuzun E., Mutlu M. O., Kiyat-Atamer A., Kurtuncu M., Akman-Demir G.

CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY, vol.29, no.4, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 29 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2011
  • Journal Name: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Keywords: mycophenolate mofetil, Behcet's disease, parenchymal neuro-Behcet's disease, immunosuppression, autoimmunity, NEUROLOGICAL INVOLVEMENT, UVEITIS
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background. Behcet's disease is a inultisystemic, relapsing, inflammatory disorder of unknown origin. Among Turkish cohorts, 5-15% of patients show involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) at some time during their disease. There, are mainly two types of clinical presentation: parehchymal CNS inflammation manifesting mainly as meningoencephalitis of the brainstem, or dural sinus thrombosis. Several drugs like high-dose steroids or immunosuppressive agents, mainly azathioprine, are used in the treatment. For patients who do not respond sufficiently to these agents or are not able tolerate them, other options are needed.