RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Safety of infliximab used in combination with leflunomide or azathioprine in daily clinical practice.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 865
OP 869
VO 33
IS 5
A1 Aleth Perdriger
A1 Xavier Mariette
A1 Jean-Louis Kuntz
A1 Olivier Brocq
A1 Rym Kara-Terki
A1 Xavier Le Loet
A1 Alain Cantagrel
A1 Stephan Pavy
A1 Chantal Job Deslandre
A1 Françoise Debiais
A1 Bernard Combe
A1 Club Rheumatismes et Inflammation
YR 2006
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/33/5/865.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of infliximab (INF) combination therapy with leflunomide (LEF) or azathioprine (AZA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHOD: A standardized questionnaire on the use of INF in combination with LEF or AZA was mailed to hospital physicians and collected over a 2 month period. Adverse events (AE) and the reasons for withdrawal of combination therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: Data on 225 patients with RA were collected retrospectively. INF was used in combination with LEF in 171 patients and with AZA in 54. The duration of INF exposure was similar in both groups (mean 8.8 mo). AE were reported in 75 patients (33.3%), 60 LEF/INF (35%) and 15 AZA/INF combinations (27.8%) (p=nonsignificant). No unexpected AE were observed. The main AE were infections (6.2%), cytopenia (5.8%), hepatotoxicity (5.8%), reactions to infusion (5.3%), and skin reactions (4%). At the time the questionnaires were sent out, 161 patients were continuing combination therapies. The main reasons for drug withdrawal were AE (53 patients, 23.5%), inefficacy (10 patients, 4%), and one temporary discontinuation for surgery. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that INF used in combination with LEF or AZA could be an alternative to methotrexate/INF combinations.