Anticytokine therapy in non-RA indications in 2009 | Arthritis Information

Villa-Forte A et al. – TNF-α inhibitors have been a major advancement in the treatment of a number of inflammatory joint diseases and are widely available in clinical practice; future research will need to continuously assess its longitudinal efficacy and safety.

Methods

A review of the current uses of TNF-α therapies for non-rheumatoid arthritis inflammatory joint diseases
Emphasis is given to important questions regarding their long-term use

Results

TNF-α blockade is one of the anticytokine therapies with major impact in the treatment of:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriatic arthritis, and
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
  among the inflammatory joint diseases
As a result of the impressive response to TNF-α inhibitors, new agents continue to be developed and a few are currently being tested in phase III trials
Evaluation of a relationship between inflammation and structural damage in ankylosing spondylitis has been an important focus of recent studies
Other aspects of treatment is long-term safety and selection of pts who will likely have a major response

http://journals.lww.com/co-rheumatology/Abstract/2009/05000/Anticytokine_therapy_in_non_rheumatoid_arthritis.10.aspx