A Case of Refractory Oral Aphthous Ulcer Successfully Treated with Adalimumab

Abstract

Oral aphthous ulcer is a common lesion characterized by loss of dermal tissue of various shapes in many diseases. It is not serious, but may affect quality of life through pain and discomfort. In many cases, it heals spontaneously without treatment or with topical agents such as antiseptics, analgesics and corticosteroid in a few days. However, rarely, there are a few cases of aphthous ulcer that remain refractory despite appropriate treatment. Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors have recently been used in treatment of severe mucosal ulcer in Behçet’s disease. Herein, we report a patient suffering from refractory oral aphthous ulcers that were resistant to topical and systemic agents, but were successfully treated with adalimumab.