Eighteen Months of Effective Treatment with Golimumab Monotherapy in a Child with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Case Report and Review of Literature

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is an endocrine disorder resulting from the deterioration of pancreatic beta cells by the body’s immune system, impairing insulin production. The present paper is a case report where the patient is a 5-year-old girl with newly diagnosed T1DM treated with Golimumab, a TNF-α inhibitor. Golimumab monotherapy was started and its use persisted for 18 months. The treatment rendered it to maintain near normoglycemic levels, preserving C-peptide and deferred use of insulin without any side effects. It, therefore, indicates that Golimumab works through neutralising TNF-α, a cytokine generally involved in the inflammation processes that cause beta cell destruction. Compared to other TNF-α inhibitors, including infliximab and etanercept, there are indications that these drugs may also protect beta cells. Still, the long-term advantages and risks may not be the same. Given the above findings, more comparative trials are still required to establish the optimum and least hazardous TNF-α inhibitor for T1DM patients.