title: Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha therapy in undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy.
abstract: The cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays a major role in the spinal inflammatory process of spondyloarthropathy. In contrast to rheumatoid arthritis, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs have not been proved effective against inflammation and progressive ankylosis. Initial studies on TNFalpha inhibitors in ankylosing spondylitis are promising and raise the question as to whether early stages of the disease, mostly classified as "undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy" (uSpA), should also be treated with TNFalpha inhibitors. This article summarises the preliminary results of 11 uSpA patients in 4 different trials treated with TNFalpha inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Hannover, Germany. schnarr.sebastian@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnarr
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeidler
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D025242:Spondylarthropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068800:Etanercept