Open Medicine (Jan 2015)

Prolonged paradoxical reaction to antituberculous treatment after discontinuation of TNF-alpha- blocker therapy with adalimumab. Rare clinical documentation

  • Falkenstern-Ge Roger Fei,
  • Husemann Kim,
  • Kohlhäufl Martin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1515/med-2015-0009
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1

Abstract

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In the past decades, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) antagonist has been a milestone in the treatment of many chronic inflammatory diseases. TNF antagonist can increase patients´ susceptibility to many different kinds of infections especially those requiring granuloma formations despite regular performance of Screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). We report 2 cases of patients who developed tuberculosis under treatment with adalimumab, which was discontinued after the diagnosis of tuberculosis. During the tuberculosis therapy they unexpectedly developed a prolonged paradoxical reaction. In both cases we were only able to manage the progress of the paradoxical reaction through high steroid doses. Patients undergoing therapy with TNF- alphablocker are prone to develop tuberculosis infection, which could in turn lead to severe prolonged paradoxical reaction during anti-tuberculous treatment. An increased steroid dose may be required and is sometimes necessary

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