Use Of anti-TNF Alpha Research Articles

P060 Childhood uveitis: epidemiological, clinical and etiological profile, about 52 cases

Abstract Background Childhood uveitis is a rare, often serious condition, and accounts for 2% to13% of all uveitis. It is characterized by an asymptomatic onset delaying the diagnosis and exposing a high risk of complications. The etiological profile of childhood uveitis seems to be different from that of adults. The objective of our work is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, etiological, therapeutic and disease course characteristics of pediatric uveitis. Method This retrospective study, carried out in a tertiary care center, involved a number of 87 eyes in 52 children under the age of 16, collected over a period extending between January 2015 and September 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Results The patients mean age was 8.15 years with a sex ratio of 1.47 and a mean consultation delay of 6.7 months. Uveitis was bilateral in 67.3% of cases. Pan-uveitis predominated, followed by intermediate, anterior and posterior uveitis in 50%, 21%, 17% and 12% of cases, respectively. Uveitis was idiopathic in 67.3% of cases. Inflammatory uveitis was the most frequent aetiology with 5 cases of Behçet's disease, 2 cases of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and 2 cases of TINU syndrome. Ophthalmologic complications were dominated by iridocrystalline synechiae in 13.5%, retinal detachment in 10.4%, cataract in 5.4% and macular oedema in 2.7%. Corticosteroid therapy was administered to all children, combined with immunosuppressive therapy in 48% of cases (azathioprine, methotrexate). The use of anti-TNF alpha was justified in 11 patients. The disease course was marked by complete remission in 11 children and partial remission in 15 patients, 26 children presented relapses of their uveitis with satisfactory final visual acuity in 73% of cases. Conclusion Our results show the predominance of panuveitis, probably due to diagnostic delay. Idiopathic uveitis, as described in the literature, and inflammatory causes of Behçet's disease are at the top of the list of etiologies. Pediatric uveitis is a particular entity, which requires regular monitoring by a team of experts in order to avoid eye complications and amblyopia in the youngest.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Complicated Adalimumab Treatment

Introduction: The use of anti TNF alpha has become common in chronic arthritis, particularly in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. However this therapy exposes to multiple risks especially infectious ones. We report a case of cutaneous leishmaniasis occurred in a patient treated with adalimumab in Tunisia. Case report: The patient is a 27-year-old man, and, since the age of 5 years, he suffers from a rheumatoid-factor-negative Polyarthritis. He was from the north-east of Tunisia, area known by sporadic cutaneous leishmaniasis. He had a cutaneous leishmaniasis in 2001 under orbital that has been treated locally by intralesional injection of pentavalent antimony (Glucantime) with a good evolution and without scarring. Initially he was treated, for the juvenile arthritis, by methotrexate then Leflunomide without improvement. Therefore an anti-TNF α therapy was indicated in 2011. After 30 months of starting treatment with adalimumab, the patient presented a small red area, painless and non-pruriginous unique lesion under orbital, measuring 1cm of diameter. The correct diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis was made by a biopsy, which revealed numerous Leishmania amastigotes within macrophages. He had intra-lesional injections of Glucantime without stopping treatment with adalimumab. The outcome was favorable but long, and without leaving skin scar. Conclusion: The TFN α is an important cytokine in the immune response against intracellular bacteria development, which explains the high risk patients on anti-TNF α of developing leishmaniasis, especially in endemic areas. Leishmaniasis complicating anti TNF treatment is rare but not exceptional.

Demyelinizing neurological disease after treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha-inhibiting agents in a rheumatological outpatient clinic: description of six cases

Biological treatment with inhibitors of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha has dramatically improved the disease course of several chronic rheumatologic conditions. Adverse events (AEs) are primarily infections and hypersensitivity reactions. Demyelinizing neurological symptoms resembling multiple sclerosis (MS) have been described as a rare AE. During about 10-year use of anti TNF-alpha, the Danish Medicines Agency has recorded eight cases of MS like AEs. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of demyelinizing AEs both in the central and peripheral nervous system after treatment with anti TNF-alpha in a cohort of patients from a large rheumatologic outpatient clinic in Copenhagen. In a 4-year period from January 2008 to December 2011, approximately 550 patients annually were undergoing treatment with anti TNF-alpha inhibitors in our department. We collected data on all patients who developed neurological symptoms during this time period. We found six patients with signs of demyelinizing neurological disorders: four resembling MS, one MS-like condition, and one multifocal motor neuropathy. During a relatively short time period, we found a remarkably high number of neurological demyelinizing AEs probably linked to anti TNF-alpha treatment. The AEs were not associated with a single anti TNF-alpha agent and were thus presumably a class effect. The data presented suggest that neurological AEs may be underreported. We advocate that physicians handling patients during treatment with TNF inhibitors are aware of this potentially serious AE and report these events to the proper medical authorities.

Compliance with NICE guidance on the use of anti-TNFα agents in ankylosing spondylitis: an East and West Midlands regional audit

Here we report on an audit performed to examine compliance with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the use of anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFalpha) in treating patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Data from 17 rheumatology centres across the Midlands were collected prospectively from patients with AS attending outpatient clinics and retrospectively in patients receiving anti-TNFalpha but not attending outpatient clinics during the audit. In total, 80% of the 416 patients for whom data were collected were male. Of the 238 patients recruited prospectively, 41% were receiving anti-TNFalpha. Reviewing all patients on anti-TNFalpha (N=275), pre-treatment assessments 12 weeks apart were documented in 55% of patients. After anti-TNFalpha treatment had started, regular 12-weekly assessments occurred in 46% of patients. Therefore, compliance with NICE guidance was found to vary among centres. Based on our audit, clinical capacity, and clinical or patient choice might be influencing the suboptimal adherence seen in assessment timing suggested by NICE guidelines relating to the use of anti-TNFalpha in treating patients with AS.

¿Cómo optimizar la terapia antiTNFalfa en las espondiloartritis?

TNFalpha inhibitors have been a major advance in the treatment of spondyloarthropathies, having demonstrated their safety and efficacy, with higher response and survival rates than those observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The fact that disease modifying anti-arthritic drugs (DMARD) have shown utility in the treatment of this disease, especially in the axial forms, gives them greater importance, since it is known that up to 30%of patients do not respond to treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, we must take into account that these drugs are expensive and not without side effects, so it is necessary to optimize their use. We intend to review the use of antiTNF alpha in spondyloarthropathies and review the available evidence on strategies that can help with their rational use.

Infection cutanée aiguë et nécrosante à Mycobacterium marinum chez un patient traité par infliximab pour une maladie de Crohn

The increasing use of anti-TNFalpha exposes patients to emerging risks, particularly that of infection. We report a case of severe cutaneous Mycobacterium marinum infection in a patient treated with infliximab and we discuss therapeutic options. A man treated with infliximab for Crohn's disease developed a severe cutaneous infection with M. marinum. Despite withdrawal of infliximab and the introduction of triple antibiotic therapy, the patient's lesions worsened and surgical treatment was required. The worsening experienced by our patient 1 week after the beginning of the treatment is comparable with the immune reconstitution syndrome occasionally observed in tuberculosis in immunocompromised hosts, thus raising the question of the potential value of continuing infliximab treatment. Recommendations are needed concerning the prevention and treatment of M. marinum infections in patients on anti-TNFalpha biotherapies.

Increasing rates and changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Ireland: 1996 – 2001

The inflammatory bowel diseases require frequent hospital visits. The literature suggests that the incidence of IBD may be increasing. To investigate the pattern of admissions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to hospital over a five-year period (between 1996 and 2001). We obtained national data regarding admission rates for patients with IBD from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) during the years 1996 and 2001. Local data were gathered from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) scheme for the same years. Over this five-year period, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of admission with IBD (58% for Crohn's disease and 25% for ulcerative colitis), in particular in the number of day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease (125%). There has been little change in the number of patients undergoing surgery for their disease (Crohn's disease; 24% vs 20% and Ulcerative colitis; 17% vs 16.6%) and in the length of hospital stay. Despite an increase in the rate of admission with IBD, there has been little change in the rates of surgical intervention and length of stay. The most dramatic increase was seen in the day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease and may reflect the use of anti-TNFalpha (infliximab) in the treatment of this disease.