Severe septicaemia in a patient with polychondritis and Sweet’s syndrome after initiation of treatment with infliximab

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases 2003-01, Vol.62 (1), p.81-82
• Main Authors: Matzkies, F G, Manger, B, Schmitt-Haendle, M, Nagel, T, Kraetsch, H-G, Kalden, J R, Schulze-Koops, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acne; Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis; Antibiotics; Antibodies, Monoclonal - adverse effects; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Arthritis; Azathioprine - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Case studies; Complications and side effects; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - immunology; Diagnosis; Drug therapy; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Fatal Outcome; Fever; Hospitals; Humans; Immunology; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Infections; Infliximab; Laboratories; Letter; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Neutrophils; Patients; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physiological aspects; polychondritis; Polychondritis, Relapsing - complications; Polychondritis, Relapsing - immunology; Sepsis - etiology; Sepsis - immunology; septicaemia; Septicemia; Skin; Sweet Syndrome - complications; Sweet Syndrome - immunology; Sweet’s syndrome; Tumor necrosis factor; Viral infections
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.62.1.81

CASE REPORT A 51 year old white man with relapsing polychondritis (first diagnosed in 1997) was admitted to our hospital in June 2001 with a five week history of general malaise, fever, recurrent arthritis, and complaints of morning stiffness. Besides autoimmune polychondritis, he had insulin dependent diabetes mellitus that was diagnosed in 1989. [...]a higher dose of glucocorticoids (80 mg) and a second application of infliximab (3 mg/kg body weight) were given.