A case of refractory intestinal Behcet's disease treated with tocilizumab, a humanised anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody

We describe a young female patient who had refractory intestinal Behcet's disease that responded to tocilizumab, a humanised anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody. The patient had suffered from long disease activity courses and was treated with multiple medications, and the disease became refractory when immunosuppressants (e.g. thalidomide, sulfasalazine and azathioprine) were limited for poor remission, methylprednisolone pulse therapy, cyclophosphamide, and biological agents (e.g. adalimumab or infliximab) were restricted due to side effects after administration. Therefore, tocilizumab was considered as a therapeutic option and the symptoms resolved during 9 months of administration. Tocilizumab may be a good choice for intestinal Behcet's disease refractory to conventional treatment.