Effect of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors on rheumatoid arthritis-induced peripheral neuropathy A cohort study

• Published in: Neural regeneration research 2012-04, Vol.7 (11), p.862-866
• Main Authors: Wang, Naizhi, Guo, Yingying, Yang, Lili, Fu, Wenyi, Xu, Yanbing, Hou, Linxin, Zhao, Shuai, Zhang, Ning
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biopsy; Cohort analysis; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Immunology; Infections; Monoclonal antibodies; Necrosis; Nervous system; Neurological disorders; Patients; Peripheral neuropathy; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatology; Studies; TNF inhibitors; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; 周围神经; 抑制剂; 治疗; 病变; 类风湿关节炎; 置信区间; 肿瘤坏死因子; 队列研究
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.11.011

In this historical cohort study, 236 patients with primary rheumatoid arthritis were treated with the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, etanercept or infliximab （n = 80）, or by conventional methods （n = 156）. Results revealed that 11 patients developed varying types of peripheral neuropathy at 1-2 years post-treatment （mean 16 months）. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy in the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors treatment group was 8.8% （7/80）, which was significantly higher than the conventional treatment group （2.6%; 4/156）. The relative risk of developing peripheral neuropathy in the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors treatment group was 3.41 （95% confidence interval： 1.03 11.31）. Comparison of the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors revealed that etanercept and infliximab had no significant difference in terms of inducing peripheral neuropathy. Experimental findings indicate that tumor necrosis factor inhibitors may increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy.