title: [Profile of use of anti tumor necrosis factor in Colombian patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists (anti-TNFα) have shown an increasing consumption and generate a significant economic burden on health systems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The prescribing patterns of tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists were determined in a patient population associated with the Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud in Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive observational study was conducted in 316 patients with respect to use of tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists during a treatment period from January 2008 to June 2009. The database examined contained indications of use, inclusion criteria to medication, duration of illness, co-morbidities and adverse reactions. The data were retrieved from the clinical histories. Student's t test was used for the comparison of quantitative variables, and the chi-square test was used to establish associations between categorical variables and multivariate analysis were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 44.613.9 years; 63.9% of participants were female. Of the 316 patients, 17.1% received monotherapy. The order of prescription drugs was as follows: adalimumab (37.3%), infliximab (37.3%) and etanercept (25.4%), all were prescribed in appropriately defined daily doses. Co-medication drugs most frequently prescribed were: disease-modifying anti-rheumatic (82.9%), NSAIDs (29.1%), omeprazole (22.5%), antihypertensives (21.2%), folic acid (19.9%) calcium plus vitamin D (9.8%), calcitriol (6.0%). 10.4% of patients had a record of some adverse drug reaction. The average cost of therapy per patient per year was US$23,464.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-TNFα are being used at recommended doses, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis and in combination with other anti-rheumatic drugs. The direct cost of therapy was high for the country's health system.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación de Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia. machado@utp.edu.co
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moncada
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pineda
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003105:Colombia; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept