(Reuters Health)—Many pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may achieve low disease activity in the third trimester with a modern treatment regimen that includes anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) medications, a recent study suggests. Researchers examined data on 309 patients with RA who were pregnant or trying to conceive and who were treated with modern treat-to-target…
Anti-TNF Treatment Tied to Lower Risk of Acute Arterial Events in IBD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment is associated with a reduced risk of acute arterial events in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially men, new research shows. IBD patients face an increased risk of acute arterial events, which are also independently associated with disease activity, Julien Kirchgesner, MD, PhD, of Hospital Saint-Antoine,…
Targeted Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Does Not Improve Mental Health
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Effective pharmacotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not associated with meaningful improvements in mental health, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. “We were surprised by the small effect sizes for mental-health outcomes across all of the treatments included in this review, but particularly for the anti-TNF versus disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)…
Skin Exam Advised Before Anti-TNF-Alpha Therapy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Using tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors for atypical dermatoses may unmask, or perhaps even worsen, cutaneous lymphoma, according to new research. “Our findings suggest that careful skin examination might be required in all patients prescribed anti-TNF-alpha agents, especially those with atypical presentations of benign skin conditions,” says Dr. Joan Guitart of…
Anti-TNF-Alpha Agents May Improve Endothelial Function Patients with RA
A systematic review has found that anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha treatment may improve endothelial function in RA patients. Despite the heterogeneity of the included studies, a random-effects model showed a significant improvement in endothelial function in this patient population after receiving infliximab, adalimumab or etanercept…
IBD Treatments Don’t Seem to Raise Extracolonic Cancer Risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Immunosuppressants and anti-TNF drugs do not appear to increase the risk of extracolonic cancers in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), researchers from Spain report. IBD patients face an increased risk of colon cancer, and some studies have suggested there might be an increased risk of extracolonic cancer. Dr. Maria Chaparro from…
Reinitiating TNF Blockers after Tuberculosis Treatment
A retrospective study showed that patients who have rheumatic disease and develop tuberculosis may be able to resume anti-TNF therapy and other biologic agents…
Adalimumab & Infliximab Remain in Newborns after Delivery
A recent study showed that, when administered during pregnancy, infliximab takes longer to clear an infant’s system than adalimumab…
Adalimumab Drives Regulatory T Cell Expansion by Binding to Membrane TNF
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody adalimumab drives regulatory T cell (Treg) expansion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by binding to membrane TNF, researchers from the UK report. “These results show that adalimumab enhances the anti-inflammatory actions of TNF to increase regulatory T cell activity,” Dr. Michael R. Ehrenstein from University College London,…
Clinical Trials Confirm Secukinumab Can Effectively Treat Ankylosing Spondylitis
Secukinumab, an anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, has successfully completed multiple clinical trials, which found the intravenous treatment may be safe and effective for treating patients with active ankylosing spondylitis…