OBJECTIVE: To report early experience of switching anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha) therapy from infliximab to etanercept in patients with spondyloarthropathy (SpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Thirteen patients with various SpA (7 with ankylosing spondylitis and 6 with undifferentiated SpA) and 2 patients with PsA were receiving infliximab. Because they were experiencing inadequate response or adverse events, therapy was changed to etanercept. Patients were evaluated for response to the change in anti-TNF-alpha therapy at baseline, after 3 months, and then every 6 months. RESULTS: During the mean 10-month followup after the change in therapy, 9 of 13 patients with SpA and both patients with PsA responded to etanercept and none experienced intolerance to this agent. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that switching between anti-TNF-alpha drugs may be useful for patients with SpA who are unresponsive or intolerant to a first anti-TNF-alpha agent.
OBJECTIVE: To report early experience of switching anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha) therapy from infliximab to etanercept in patients with spondyloarthropathy (SpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Thirteen patients with various SpA (7 with ankylosing spondylitis and 6 with undifferentiated SpA) and 2 patients with PsA were receiving infliximab. Because they were experiencing inadequate response or adverse events, therapy was changed to etanercept. Patients were evaluated for response to the change in anti-TNF-alpha therapy at baseline, after 3 months, and then every 6 months. RESULTS: During the mean 10-month followup after the change in therapy, 9 of 13 patients with SpA and both patients with PsA responded to etanercept and none experienced intolerance to this agent. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that switching between anti-TNF-alpha drugs may be useful for patients with SpA who are unresponsive or intolerant to a first anti-TNF-alpha agent.
Authors: D E Furst; F C Breedveld; J R Kalden; J S Smolen; G R Burmester; J Sieper; P Emery; E C Keystone; M H Schiff; P Mease; P L C M van Riel; R Fleischmann; M H Weisman; M E Weinblatt Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2007-11 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Martin Rudwaleit; Filip Van den Bosch; Martina Kron; Sonja Kary; Hartmut Kupper Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2010-06-16 Impact factor: 5.156