| |
Control
|
Rheumatoid arthritis
|
Ankylosing spondylitis
|
|---|
|
Number of patients
|
30
|
24
|
15
|
|
Mean age, years (range)
|
63 (30–83)
|
56 (26–77)
|
41 (26–57)
|
|
Number of women (%)
|
23 (76.7)
|
16 (66.7)
|
4 (26.7)
|
|
Disease duration, years (range)
|
7.4 (1–22)
|
12 (3–32)
|
17 (6–30)
|
|
Infliximab treatment (mg/kg)
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
|
Concomitant medication
| | | |
|
Number of patients with
| | | |
|
NSAID
|
22
|
10
|
5
|
|
Corticosteroids
|
19
|
19
|
8
|
|
Methotrexate
|
30
|
24
|
6
|
|
Side effects
| | | |
|
Number of patients with
| | | |
|
Allergy
| |
3 Ma, 1 Sa
|
1 Sa
|
|
Infections
| |
2 Ma, 2 Sa
|
2 Ma, 1 Sa
|
|
Other (amyloidosis)
| |
0
|
3 Ma
|
|
Inefficacy of treatment
| | | |
|
Number of patients
| |
2
|
2
|
| | |
Months 8 and 10
|
Months 5 and 7
|
- AS, ankylosing spondylitis; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.
- aSignificant side effects and inefficacy that could lead to infliximab discontinuation. If side effects were severe (S), infliximab was stopped; thus nine patients discontinued infliximab treatment before the end of the study, between 3 and 18 months in 5 RA and 2 AS patients. If moderate (M), infliximab was continued. The severe infections were pulmonary tuberculosis (RA), septic pericarditis (AS) and Streptococcus bovis endocarditis (RA). Two severe anaphylactic reactions during infliximab infusion (1 RA, 1 AS) led to discontinuation of treatment and in one case (RA) required resuscitation. Three patients with severe long-standing AS were suspected of amyloidosis at the start of infliximab treatment because of nephritic proteinuria. The diagnosis was confirmed by renal biopsy and the infusion carried out.
