Table 5.
Open label and randomized controlled trials performed in BD with cutaneous, intestinal, and central nervous system involvements.
| References | Type of involvement/design/anti-TNF-α therapy | Number of patients | Main objectives | Follow-up | Main results | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melikoglu et al. [66] | Cutaneous/randomized controlled trial/ETN versus placebo | 40 (20 ETN/20 placebo) | (i) Pathergy response and monourate sodium status (ii) frequencies of mucocutaneous manifestations |
4 weeks | (i) No differences between the two groups (ii) decrease of frequency of mucocutaneous manifestations |
No serious side effects |
|
| ||||||
| Iwata et al. [67] | Entero-Behcet/open label trial/IFX | 10 | Clinical manifestations CT-scan | 12 months | Rapid and dramatic improvement for all the patients | No serious side effects |
|
| ||||||
| Kikuchi et al. [69] | Neuro-Behcet/open label trial/IFX | 5 | Clinical manifestations brain magnetic resonance imaging | 24 weeks | Improvement in 3 patients | One pneumocystis pneumonia |
|
| ||||||
| Giardina et al. [70] | Neuro-Behcet/open label trial/IFX | 21 | Clinical manifestations (CR/PR) | 54 weeks | 85% of CR 9% of PR | No serious side effects |
CR: complete remission; PR: partial remission.