Switching to etanercept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with no response to infliximab.

CER2943
2007 Vol.25, N°1
PI 0085, PF 0087
Brief Papers

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PMID: 17417995 [PubMed]

Abstract

ABSTRACT: TNF-α is thought to play a pivotal role in the initiation and perpetuation of the chronic inflammatory process in rheumatoid arthritis.TNF-α blockers such as infliximab and etanercept are currently used in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when traditional DMARDs have failed and are effective in a significant proportion of patients. However, about one third are non-responders to anti-TNF-α.The aim of this study was to verify whether rheumatoid patients, after failing infliximab, can benefit from etanercept.We analysed 18 patients with active RA with no response to at least 3 DMARDs and where infliximab therapy had failed. The patients had received infliximab associated with methotrexate: eleven of them did not show any significant response, while seven patients, after a good response, relapsed. Etanercept was then started. EULAR criteria of response were used with calculation of activity index DAS28 at baseline, after 2 weeks, 3 months and every third month until last follow-up. A moderate or good response was achieved with etanercept in 13 out of 18 patients. From our experience, etanercept can be considered as a good alternative choice when infliximab has failed.