Mucosal healing with thalidomide in refractory Crohn's disease patients intolerant of anti-TNF-α drugs: report of 3 cases and literature review

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2014 Jul;48(6):530-3. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000000122.

Abstract

Thalidomide is an oral immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory drug with antitumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activity. Several case reports and some clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in the treatment of refractory Crohn's disease (CD). We report the effect and tolerability of thalidomide in 3 patients with moderate-to-severe CD who were not responsive to anti-TNF-α therapies, and review the relevant literature. The first case is of a 28-year-old female affected by Crohn's colitis complicated by a severe fistulizing perianal disease; she was treated with infliximab, adalimumab, and certolizumab pegol, which were stopped because of intolerance. The second case is of a 39-year-old female with fistulizing ileocolitis complicated by severe arthralgias and perianal disease with loss of response to infliximab and intolerance of certolizumab pegol. The third case is of a 39-year-old male with gastric and ileocolonic CD refractory to immunosuppressors and intolerant of infliximab. All the 3 cases achieved complete clinical remission and endoscopic healing of mucosal lesions at a low dose of thalidomide (50 to 150 mg/d). In our CD patients who experienced loss of response or were unable to tolerate anti-TNF-α drugs, thalidomide was an effective and well-tolerated therapy for inducing and maintaining long-term remission.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy*
  • Crohn Disease / pathology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Male
  • Remission Induction / methods
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Thalidomide / adverse effects
  • Thalidomide / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Thalidomide