Comparative Immunogenicity of TNF Inhibitors: Impact on Clinical Efficacy and Tolerability in the Management of Autoimmune Diseases. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are a mainstay in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as in the management of spondyloarthritis (SpA) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Unfortunately, a portion of patients taking these drugs require escalating doses within the approved label to achieve response, while others lose response altogether. This may be due to the development of antibodies against TNFi agents.

Tocilizumab in rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of efficacy and selected clinical conundrums.

Introduction: Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a biological agent used for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present systematic literature review and meta-analysis, we provide an update on the efficacy and safety of TCZ and our clinical comments for the treatment of RA.

Methods: We searched PubMed for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials investigating the effects of TCZ on RA.

Management of coccidioidomycosis in patients receiving biologic response modifiers or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Objective: Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) is an endemic fungal infection of the American Southwest, an area with a large population of patients with rheumatic diseases. There are currently no guidelines for management of patients who develop coccidioidomycosis while under treatment with biologic response modifiers (BRMs) or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). We conducted a retrospective study of how both concurrent diseases were managed and the patient outcomes at 2 centers in Tucson, Arizona.