title: Anti-TNFs in axial spondyloarthritis.
abstract: Since there is no evidence regarding the efficacy of conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in the improvement of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), anti-tumor necrosis factors (anti-TNFs) are recommended if nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs fail, or in case of high disease activity. Anti-TNFs show encouraging data regarding pain reduction, improved mobility and quality of life in both ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. However, withdrawal of anti-TNF therapy leads to relapse of disease activity in SpA. Moreover, osteoproliferation does not seem to be influenced by anti-TNFs.
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent Hospital-Medical Department II, Academic Teaching Hospital, The VINFORCE Study Group, Medical University of Vienna, Stumpergasse 13, 1060, Vienna, Austria, roland.kocijan@bhs.at.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kocijan
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muschitz
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rech
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D025241:Spondylarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; C439524:TNF protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha