title: Serum cytokine concentrations in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis on etanercept therapy who subsequently developed pneumocystis pneumonia: a case report.
abstract: We report a rheumatoid arthritis patient who was treated with etanercept. Serum levels of tumor-necrosis-factor- (TNF-) alpha, soluble-tumor-necrosis-factor receptor- (sTNFR-) I and -II, interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-1 beta were measured by ELISA before and during the course of therapy. While the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1 beta dropped rapidly following the initiation of therapy, the concentrations of TNF-alpha and sTNFR-II steadily increased to a plateau. Although significant clinical efficacy was observed, etanercept had to be discontinued when after 12 weeks of therapy the patient was found to have pneumocystis pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido Gifu, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Ryuki
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shinohe
authors.forename: Katsuji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu