CASE REPORT

Therapeutic efficacy and safety profile of infliximab in active systemic lupus erythematosus

Authors

Sawsan Johar Hayat¹ and Sukhbir Singh Uppal^1,2

1. Department of Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jabriya, Kuwait
2. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Jabriya, Safat, 13110, Kuwait

Received:

25 October 2006

Accepted:

26 December 2006

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Abstract

Since levels of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) are significantly increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and may be involved in the disease pathogenesis, we report on the safety and efficacy of infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against TNFα, given to a patient with difficult-to-treat active nonrenal SLE. This patient, who failed to remit with full doses of glucocorticoids, hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, and azathioprine, went into sustained remission with the addition of infliximab infusions. Glucocorticoids could be tapered off completely.

Key words

Infliximab - Systemic lupus erythematosus - Tumor necrosis factor alpha - Tumor necrosis factor alpha blocker