title: Rheumatoid meningitis occurring during adalimumab and methotrexate treatment.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis is well known for multiple extra-articular manifestations. Here, we present a case of chronic rheumatoid meningitis occurring during treatment with methotrexate and the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antibody adalimumab. Nine and seven months, respectively, into the course of these two treatments, a 59-year-old Caucasian lady with mild, early, seropositive rheumatoid arthritis developed headaches and psychomotor retardation followed by seizures. The diagnosis was confirmed by a brain biopsy showing a necrotizing granulomatous meningitis. Withdrawal of both drugs and high dose corticosteroids led to marked improvement. The addition of the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab allowed discontinuation of the corticosteroids. This is the fifth published case describing the occurrence of rheumatoid meningitis during treatment with TNF blockers. TNF blockers and methotrexate thus do not appear to prevent this complication, and may even contribute to its development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospitals of Geneva, rue Gabrielle Perret Gentil, 4, CH-1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. a.m.l.huys.01@cantab.net
authors.forename: Anne-Catherine M L
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Huys
authors.forename: Pierre-André
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Guerne
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horvath
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate