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Anti-TNF-α and risk of infections: the experience in one center
- Source :
- Panminerva medica. 56(1)
- Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- In the last years there is an increasing interest for the question of whether patients treated with antitumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) agents are at increased risk of infections. We aim to assess the possible role of anti-TNF-α treatment in the increase of the risk of infections in a population of patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.We analyzed data of patients affected by chronic arthritis treated with anti-TNF-α to investigate the risk of infections. Statistical analysis was done using STATA software.The odds ratio for patients treated with anti-TNF-α who developed infections was 1.61 (CI: 0.88, 2.92, P0.11). We found an odds ratio of 1.41 (CI: 0.74, 2.68, P0.29) in patients treated with anti-TNF-α who developed urinary tract infection, and an odds ratio of 2.63 (CI: 0.31, 22.19, P0.37) in patients treated with anti-TNF-α who developed herpes zoster.These results seems to indicate a role of anti-TNF-α treatment in the risk of infection. Nevertheless, our results are not statistically significant probably because the sample sizes are too small and the time of observation among patients is variable. Moreover, other confounding factors may be gender, age and the different degrees of disease activity and comorbidity. In conclusion, limitations in the study size and design preclude definitive conclusions about the question of whether patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents are at increased risk of infections. The performance of additional research are needed to answer this question.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Comorbidity
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
Infections
Herpes Zoster
Medical Records
Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
Etanercept
Polyethylene Glycols
Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
Risk Factors
Odds Ratio
Humans
Aged
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Arthritis, Psoriatic
Adalimumab
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Middle Aged
Infliximab
Methotrexate
Immunoglobulin G
Chronic Disease
Urinary Tract Infections
Certolizumab Pegol
Female
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 18271898
- Volume :
- 56
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Panminerva medica
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid..........ea34238cb5ccf7e1a20b306530145d58