ARP Rheumatology
ARP Rheumatology
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Article

ARP Rheumatology
Letter

Safety of Etanercept in the treatment of rheumatic disease patients with Hepatitis C virus infection

Authors

Teixeira L, Fonseca C, Sousa S, Vinagre F, Cordeiro A, Gonçalves P, Santos MJ, Silva JCd

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem. Because Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) seems to have an important role in immune response to HCV infection, suppression by TNFi (TNF inhibitors) may pose a potential worsening of chronic HCV infection. We report our experience with 3 cases of patients with chronic HCV infection and advanced liver disease, with different Rheumatic diseases, treated with a TNFi, etanercept (ETN), for a period ranging from 4 months to 4 years without hepatitis C treatment and, in two of them, concomitant therapy with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) and afterwards. Although increasing number of clinical reports support the short-term safety and efficacy of TNFi in patients with HCV, some uncertainties remain regarding long-term. These cases suggests that the risk of HCV reactivation related to TNFi remains low even without concomitant antiviral therapy. Nevertheless, a strict collaboration between rheumatologists and gastroenterologists/hepatologists. Our results also showed a good tolerance and efficacy when used concomitantly the new direct-acting antivirals drugs with ETN.

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Publication:

2018-06-15

Pubmed:

Cite:

Lídia Teixeira, Cristina Fonseca, Sandra Sousa, Filipe Vinagre, Ana Cordeiro, Pedro Gonçalves, Maria José Santos, José Canas da Silva. Safety of Etanercept in the treatment of rheumatic disease patients with Hepatitis C virus infection. ARP, nº2, Apr/Jun 2018:159-160. PMID: 30091962
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