title: Long-term safety of anti-TNF adalimumab in HBc antibody-positive psoriatic arthritis patients: a retrospective case series of 8 patients.
abstract: Immunosuppressive drugs commonly used in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis make patients more susceptible to viral, bacterial, and fungal infections because of their mechanism of action. They not only increase the risk of new infections but also act altering the natural course of preexisting infections. While numerous data regarding the reactivation of tuberculosis infection are available in the literature, poor information about the risk of reactivation or exacerbation of hepatitis viruses B and C infections during treatment with biologics has been reported. Furthermore, reported series with biological therapy included short periods of followup, and therefore, they are not adequate to verify the risk of reactivation in the long-term treatment. Our study evaluated patients with a history of hepatitis B and psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab and monitored up to six years. During the observation period, treatment was effective and well tolerated in all patients, and liver function tests and viral load levels remained unchanged.
authors.affiliation: Unità di Reumatologia, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata-IRCCS, Via Monti di Creta 104, 00165 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laurenti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giovannangeli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gubinelli
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Viviano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Errico
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leoni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballanti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Migliore
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019562:Viral Load; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068879:Adalimumab