Inflammatory demyelinating events following treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor
A Fromont, J De Seze, MC Fleury, JF Maillefert… - Cytokine, 2009 - Elsevier
A Fromont, J De Seze, MC Fleury, JF Maillefert, T Moreau
Cytokine, 2009•ElsevierBackground: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is an inflammatory cytokine involved in
certain inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA),
and Crohn's disease. The anti-TNF-α treatments used for RA may be associated with
inflammatory demyelinating events affecting the central nervous system and may possibly
aggravate known MS. Objective: We report here three new cases of inflammatory
demyelinating events of the central nervous system following treatment with anti-TNF-α …
certain inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA),
and Crohn's disease. The anti-TNF-α treatments used for RA may be associated with
inflammatory demyelinating events affecting the central nervous system and may possibly
aggravate known MS. Objective: We report here three new cases of inflammatory
demyelinating events of the central nervous system following treatment with anti-TNF-α …
Background
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is an inflammatory cytokine involved in certain inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Crohn’s disease. The anti-TNF-α treatments used for RA may be associated with inflammatory demyelinating events affecting the central nervous system and may possibly aggravate known MS.
Objective
We report here three new cases of inflammatory demyelinating events of the central nervous system following treatment with anti-TNF-α.
Results
The neurological symptoms appeared on average 5 months after initiation of the treatment. For all patients, the inflammatory process was confirmed by brain magnetic resonance imaging. The symptoms totally or partially regressed as soon as anti-TNF-α treatment was stopped except for one patient who developed clinically defined MS.
Conclusions
Inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system may be associated with the use of anti-TNF-α. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with these treatments should benefit from a follow-up which includes brain MRI.
Elsevier
