TITLE:
Efficacy of Infliximab Therapy for a Patient with Superficial Thrombophlebitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
AUTHORS:
Masahiro Tada, Kazuyoshi Fukai, Tadashi Okano, Yuko Sugioka, Shigeyuki Wakitani, Hiroaki Nakamura, Tatsuya Koike
KEYWORDS:
Infliximab, Superficial Thrombophlebitis, Treatment, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Tumor Necrosis Factor α
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.2 No.4,
September
30,
2011
ABSTRACT: Superficial thrombophlebitis is known as a frequent complication of Behçet’s disease. Infliximab may promote healing of superficial thrombophlebitis in patients with Behçet’s disease. However, thrombophlebitis as a complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is rare and treatments have not been reported. We describe the case of a 47-year-old man with RA with complications of superficial thrombophlebitis who was treated using methotrexate and infliximab. Erythema nodosum and cord-like induration with pain in the extremities completely disappeared following a single infusion of infliximab and oral acetylsalicylic acid was not needed. This case suggests that infliximab might offer effective treatment for patients showing superficial thrombophlebitis with RA.