Colchicine Response Is Variable in Behçet Disease

Predicting responsiveness to colchicine in patients with BD may be possible by examining alterations in IL-1β transcript levels.

Behçet disease (BD) is a multisystem disease of unknown cause. Systemic colchicine treatment reduces the frequency and severity of attacks in some people but not in others. Colchicine not only affects microtubules associated with cell and organelle movement but also suppresses activation of capase-1 and release of interleukin (IL)-1β in stimulated macrophages. Capase-1 helps convert IL-1β precursor to active IL-1β, a cytokine-mediating inflammation.

To see if response to colchicine therapy was associated with suppression of capase-1 activation, investigators divided new patients with BD into responder and nonresponder groups. Responders showed improvement in erythema nodosum, oral ulcers, and genital ulcers without recurrence during a 3-mont…

Reviewing Author

Mark V. Dahl, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Ulthera, Inc.; AuBio LifeSciences, LLC; Paris Therapeutics

Equity Elorac, Inc.; Makucell, Inc.; Paris Therapeutics

Editorial boards UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societiesNational Rosacea Society (Chairman, Medical Board)