[Etanercept--infliximab switch in rheumatoid arthritis 14 out of 131 patients treated with anti TNFalpha].
OBJECTIVE
Patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis and resistant to at least three DMARDS can benefit from anti-TNFalpha (tumor necrosis factor) therapy. In some patients, because of inefficacy or adverse events, treatment with one of the two available TNFalpha drugs (etanercept and infliximab) must be stopped. In this study, we explored the results in efficacy and tolerance of switching from one anti-TNFalpha to the other.


METHODS
Between August 1999 and January 2002, we administered one of the two anti TNFalpha drugs to 131 patients: 67 patients received infiximab and 64 etanercept.


RESULTS
Among the 67 patients treated with infliximab, 17 patients had to stop treatment. In 8 of them (4 allergies, 2 infections and 2 non responders) the switch from infliximab to etanercept was beneficial for 5 patients, 2 patients did not respond and 1 patient withdrew for personal reasons. Among the 64 patients treated with etanercept, 13 had to stop treatment. In 6 of them (2 adverse events, 4 failures) the switch from etanercept to infliximab was beneficial for 3 patients, 2 did not respond and 1 withdrew because of adverse events.


CONCLUSIONS
In all, 14 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis and treated by one of the two TNFalpha drugs (and in whom treatment was stopped because of adverse events or inefficacy) benefited from the switch to the other anti- TNFalpha, with excellent response in 8 out of 14 patients.
Brocq
O
O
Service de rhumatologie CHU l'Archet, Nice, France.
Plubel
Y
Y
Breuil
V
V
Grisot
C
C
Flory
P
P
Mousnier
A
A
Euller-Ziegler
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068800:Etanercept; D008727:Methotrexate