Remission of psoriatic arthritis after etanercept discontinuation: analysis of patients' clinical characteristics leading to disease relapse.
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, disabling arthritis affecting up to 30 percent of psoriatic patients. Recently, it has been demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) plays a pivotal role in inducing and maintaining joint damage and that molecules that block this cytokine are effective in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Etanercept is a recombinant fusion protein acting as a competitive inhibitor of TNF-alpha, and numerous clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in determining psoriatic arthritis remission. However, specific criteria defining psoriatic arthritis remission have not been delineated and few data describing the length of the remission after etanercept discontinuation are available. The aim of this observational, retrospective study was to assess post-remission efficacy maintenance and relapse characteristics after etanercept interruption in patients with moderate-to-severe peripheral psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and cutaneous involvement.
Rheumatology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Unit of Rheumatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome Italy.
M S
MS
Chimenti
M
M
Esposito
A
A
Giunta
D
D
Graceffa
G
G
Babino
M
M
Teoli
A
A
Mazzotta
R
R
Pericone
S
S
Chimenti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept