Skin lesions with arthritis drugs

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with the potent TNF-alpha blocking drugs is linked to an increase in dermatological conditions. Researchers from the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Netherlands, studied 289 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were starting treatment with infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept or an experimental drug lenercept - all TNF-alpha blockers. The individuals in the study were matched with 289 control subjects with rheumatoid arthritis who had never been given TNF-alpha blocking therapy. During an average follow-up of 2.3 years, it was found that skin problems occurred in 72 treated patients but in only 37 control patients. The skin conditions included infections and eczema, both of which might logically be related to the way TNF blockers work, by interfering with the immune system. The researchers also documented drug-related skin ulcers and malignant tumours, as well as a list of less common problems. However, more studies are needed to look into these skin disorders because they are a clinically significant problem in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving TNF-alpha-blocking therapy.