title: The effect of infliximab on antiviral antibody profiles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The duration of humoral immunity in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs is poorly defined. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of infliximab on the levels of antiviral antibodies against poliomyelitis, rubella and measles in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Fifty-two consecutive RA patients being treated with 3 mg/kg infliximab were prospectively studied. The antiviral antibody profiles for measles, rubella and three serotypes of poliomyelitis were tested on the day of the first infusion of infliximab and 6 months later. The study group comprised 36 women and 16 men (mean age 54 years, range 33-81) with a mean disease duration of 15 +/- 9 years. Forty-two (81%) patients were being treated with methotrexate and 22 (42%) were receiving prednisone. All patients had baseline protective levels of antibodies against measles and the three strains of polio, while 48 (92%) patients had protective antibodies against rubella. No significant change in the levels of antiviral antibodies was observed after 6 months of treatment with infliximab: from 3.67 at baseline to 3.87 IU/ml for measles, 169.50-197.0 IU/ml for rubella. No change was noticed for the geometric mean concentrations of antibodies against strains of poliomyelitis: 366-478 IU/ml for the Mahoney polio strain, 906-845 IU/ml for the MEF strain and 175-196 IU/ml for the Sauket strain. Patients with longstanding RA conserve long-term immunity to common viruses despite the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Levels of antiviral antibodies against measles, rubella and polio remain stable under treatment with infliximab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel.
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.forename: Yolanda Braun
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Moscovici
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abudi
authors.forename: Denit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sofer
authors.forename: Ella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mendelson
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balbir-Gurman
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elkayam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008457:Measles / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012409:Rubella / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069285:Infliximab; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate