title: Adverse effect of TNF-alpha blocker? Demyelination in an ankylosing spondylitis patient: a case report.
abstract: Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha agents promise better disease control for treatment of inflammatory arthritides which are resistant to classical disease-modifying treatment and provide better functional outcome. But these agents are not free of adverse events. The exact relationship between use of anti-TNF drugs and development of demyelination cannot be established yet. Here we present a case of a 36-year-old man who developed demyelination in the cervical spinal cord while he was being treated with etanercept for ankylosing spondylitis.
authors.affiliation: PM&R and Rheumatology Department, Medical Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. fatihcay@akdeniz.edu.tr
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Cay
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gungor
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kacar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068800:Etanercept