A child with simple ulcer of the colon effectively treated with the combination of prednisolone, azathioprine, and pentoxifylline

A rare case of simple ulcer of the colon in a 7-year-old girl is reported. Simple ulcer is clinically and pathologically recognized as a serious disease linked to intestinal Behcet's disease. Recently, some immunomodulators, such as thalidomide and antitumor necrosis factor monoclonal antibody, have been used to treat Behcet's disease, with varying degrees of success. Pentoxifylline (PTX) is also known to inhibit such inflammatory mediators as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6. In this present patient combination treatment with prednisolone, azathioprine, and PTX improved corticosteroid dependence palliatively and prevented further relapse during a follow-up period of more than 12 months, without serious side effects.