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Long-term safety and efficacy of etanercept in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis
Authors Senabre-Gallego JM, Santos-Ramírez C, Santos-Soler G, Salas-Heredia E, Sánchez-Barrioluengo M, Barber X, Rosas J
Received 27 May 2013
Accepted for publication 19 July 2013
Published 23 September 2013 Volume 2013:7 Pages 961—972
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S33109
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 3
José Miguel Senabre-Gallego,1 Carlos Santos-Ramirez,2 Gregorio Santos-Soler,1 Esteban Salas-Heredia,1 Mabel Sánchez-Barrioluengo,3 Xavier Barber,4 José Rosas1
On behalf of the AIRE-MB group
1Rheumatology, Hospital Marina Baixa, Villajoyosa, 2Rheumatology, Hospital Marina Salud, Denia, 3INGENIO (Instituto de Gestión de la Inovación y del Conocimiento) (CSIC [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas]-UPV [Universidad Politécnica de Valencia]), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, 4CIO (Centro de Investigación Operativa)-UMH (Universidad Miguel Hernández), Universidad Miguel Henández, Elche, Spain
Abstract: To date, anti-tumor necrosis factor alfa (anti-TNF-α) therapy is the only alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. Etanercept is a soluble TNF receptor, with a mode of action and pharmacokinetics different to those of antibodies and distinctive efficacy and safety. Etanercept has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, with or without radiographic sacroiliitis, and other manifestations of the disease, including peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, and psoriasis. Etanercept is not efficacious in inflammatory bowel disease, and its efficacy in the treatment of uveitis appears to be lower than that of other anti-TNF drugs. Studies of etanercept confirmed regression of bone edema on magnetic resonance imaging of the spine and sacroiliac joint, but failed to reduce radiographic progression, as do the other anti-TNF drugs. It seems that a proportion of patients remain in disease remission when the etanercept dose is reduced or administration intervals are extended. Etanercept is generally well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. The most common adverse effect of etanercept treatment is injection site reactions, which are generally self-limiting. Reactivation of tuberculosis, reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection, congestive heart failure, demyelinating neurologic disorders, hematologic disorders like aplastic anemia and pancytopenia, vasculitis, immunogenicity, and exacerbation or induction of psoriasis are class effects of all the anti-TNF drugs, and have been seen in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. However, etanercept is less likely to induce reactivation of tuberculosis than the other anti-TNF drugs and it has been suggested that etanercept might be less immunogenic, especially in ankylosing spondylitis. Acute uveitis, Crohn’s disease, and sarcoidosis are other adverse events that have been rarely associated with etanercept therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
Keywords: ankylosing spondylitis, etanercept, spondyloarthritis, efficacy, safety
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