Abstract
Anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha therapy has led to significant advancement in the treatment of rheumatological disease. Rarely, anti-TNFα antagonists have been associated with vasculitis, predominantly cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis. We present the first case of angiographically-confirmed digital vasculitis occurring as a late complication of etanercept therapy. Our case adds to the limited repertoire of case reports of anti-TNFα induced vasculitis and highlights the potential risk of this serious complication occurring up to several years after initiation of these agents.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Furst DE, Breedveld FC, Kalden JR et al (2007) Updated consensus statement on biological agents for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. Ann Rheum Dis 66:iii2–iii22, Nov
Lin J, Ziring D, Desai S et al (2008) TNFα blockade in human diseases: an overview of efficacy and safety. Clin Immunol 126:13–30
Marcoux BS, Bandt MD (2006) Vasculitides induced by TNFα antagonists: a study in 39 patients in France. Jt Bone Spine 73:710–713
Mohan N, Edwards ET, Cupps TR (2004) Leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with tumour necrosis factor-α blocking agents. J Rheumatol 31(10):1955–1958
Stokes MB, Foster K, Markowitz GS et al (2005) Development of glomerulonephritis during anti-TNFα therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Nephrol Dial Transplant 20:1400–1406
Stubgen JP (2008) Tumour necrosis factor-α antagonists and neuropathy. Muscle and Nerve 37(3):281–292, March
Livermore PA, Murray KJ (2002) Anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy associated with cutaneous vasculitis. Rheumatology 41:1450–1452
Desai SB, Furst DE (2006) Problems encountered during anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 20(4):757–790
Disclosures
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mangat, P., Whittle, S., Cleland, L. et al. Digital vasculitis: a late complication of anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha therapy. Clin Rheumatol 27, 1593–1595 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-008-1015-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-008-1015-9