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Erythema multiforme major following treatment with infliximab

Dean Edwards1, Eli Boritz, Edward W Cowen

  • 1National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. dean.edwards@nih.gov

Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
|October 6, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) agents, like infliximab for Crohn's disease, can cause rare side effects. This case highlights erythema multiforme (EM) as a potential complication.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Increasing use of anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) therapies for inflammatory conditions necessitates awareness of potential adverse effects.
  • Anti-TNF-α agents are widely prescribed for various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease.

Observation:

  • A patient undergoing infliximab therapy for Crohn's disease developed erythema multiforme (EM) major.
  • The patient presented with characteristic oral and cutaneous lesions consistent with EM major.

Findings:

  • This case represents the first documented instance of infliximab-induced erythema multiforme (EM) in a patient treated for Crohn's disease (CD).
  • The development of EM was directly linked to infliximab treatment, suggesting a drug-induced etiology.

Implications:

  • Dental clinicians must be vigilant for erythema multiforme (EM) in patients using anti-tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) medications.
  • Awareness of this rare but significant side effect is crucial for timely diagnosis and management in patients on TNF-α inhibitors.

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