Improvement of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune hepatitis in a patient treated with the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, etanercept

Intern Med. 2011;50(11):1245-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.50.4879. Epub 2011 Jun 1.

Abstract

We report a case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and Sjogren syndrome (SjS) that was treated with the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor, etanercept (ETN). Both RA activity and transaminase levels improved as a result of treatment. Follow-up liver biopsy showed improvement of hepatitis. Although the efficacy of anti-TNF for RA patients with AIH remains controversial, this case suggests that treatment with ETN may result in a favorable clinical course in a certain subset of patients with RA and AIH.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / epidemiology*
  • Biopsy
  • Comorbidity
  • Etanercept
  • Female
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / therapeutic use*
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Etanercept