[Pulmonary tuberculosis associated to adalimumab: a study of 3 cases]

Abstract

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha antagonist drugs represent a significant advance in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, and intestinal inflammatory disease. The increase in tuberculosis with infliximab is known, but there is less data available that specifically associates tuberculosis with adalimumab. We present the cases of 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and one patient with ankylopoietic spondylitis on treatment with adalimumab, who developed pulmonary and disseminated tuberculosis despite following the screening and prophylaxis measures recommended in guidelines. We also review the association between treatment with tumour necrosis factor-alpha antagonists and tuberculosis.