McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine

McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine
Interviews
Rheumatology
TB risk during biologic treatment with agents other than TNF-alpha inhibitors

TB risk during biologic treatment with agents other than TNF-alpha inhibitors

2018-10-09

Gülen Hatemi

Recorded at the 4th McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine (MIRCIM).

What is the risk of tuberculosis (TB) during biologic treatment with agents other than tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors?

Gülen Hatemi, MD: Interleukin (IL)-1 blockers are considered to be safe regarding the development of TB. But we actually have 2 patients who developed TB while using an anti–IL-1 blocker. IL-17 blockers really seem to be safe. There are data from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis trials. As far as I remember, there were more than 2000 patients and none of them developed TB. With IL-6 blockers there can also be some risk of TB.

See also

Initial management in rheumatologic emergencies What should be the initial management in rheumatologic emergencies? Which patients should be transported to the ICU?
Risk of TB during biologic therapy of rheumatic diseases What is the actual risk of tuberculosis during biologic therapy of rheumatic diseases? Which class of drugs carries the highest risk of TB?
Pharmacological treatment in osteoporosis: When to start? When should we start pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis?
Extra-articular manifestations in spondyloarthritis A lecture by Dr Filip Van den Bosch, from Ghent University, Belgium, delivered at McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine in Kraków in May 2017.
Topical NSAIDs in gout Are topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs effective in the treatment of gout?
Current management of gout: Practical messages from 2016 EULAR guidelines This article presents an overview of the key updates in the new EULAR recommendations for the management of gout.
Biologic treatment in patients with TB while on anti-TNF treatment Can biologic treatment be restarted in a patient who developed tuberculosis (TB) while on anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment? Can we use anti-TNF agents again in such patients?
Management of latent TB before biologic treatment How should we manage a patient with latent tuberculosis (TB) infection before starting biologic treatment?
Opioids and osteoporosis Is osteoporosis caused by long-term use of strong opioids a significant clinical problem?

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