Abstract
Specific inhibition of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha has resulted in significant clinical and laboratory improvement of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases of Th1 phenotype. Etanercept is a recombinant fusion protein of two p75 soluble receptors, while infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody. Both have been considered to be immunogenic and cause various immune-mediated skin reactions. On the other hand, adalimumab, a human monoclonal antibody, was expected to cause little or no immune-mediated skin reactions. Herein, we report a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab, who after the seventh injection, developed angiedema affecting the lips and face, as well as an urticaria-like skin reaction affecting the trunk. These reactions were followed by hypotension. The patient was treated appropriately and after 2 h, the rashes and the edema disappeared and the patient gradually recovered completely. Adalimumab was discontinued.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
O’Hollaren MT (1998) Update in allergy and immunology. Ann Intern Med 129:1036
Maini RN, Breedveld FC, Kalden JR et al (1998) Therapeutic efficacy of multiple intravenous infusions of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha monoclonal antibody combined with low-dose weekly methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 41:552–563
Maini R, St Clair EW, Breedveld F et al (1999) Infliximab (chimeric anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha monoclonal antibody) versus placebo in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving concomitant methotrexate: a randomised phase III trial. ATTRACT Study Group. Lancet 354:1932–1939
Moreland LW, Schiff MH, Baumgartner SW et al (1999) Etanercept therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 130:478–486
Mease P (2004) TNFα therapy in psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis: how and why does it work? Ann Rheum Dis 63:755–758
Gorman JD, Sack KE, Davis JC Jr (2002) Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis by inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha. N Engl J Med 346:1349–1356
Nikas SN, Alamanos Y, Voulgari PV, Pliakou XI, Papadopoulos CG, Drosos AA (2005) Infliximab therapy in ankylosing spondylitis: an observational study. Ann Rheum Dis 64:940–942
Devos SA, van den Bosche N, de Vos M, Naeyaert JM (2003) Adverse skin reactions to anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody therapy. Dermatology 206:388–390
Beuthien W, Mellinghoff HU, von Kempis J (2004) Skin reaction to adalimumab. Arthritis Rheum 50:1690–1692
Stratigos AJ, Antoniou C, Stamathioudaki S, Avgerinou G, Tsega A, Katsambas AD (2004) Discoid lupus erythematosus-like eruption induced by infliximab. Clin Exp Dermatol 29:150–153
Jarrett SJ, Cunnane G, Conaghan PG, Bingham SJ, Buch MH, Quinn MA, Emery P (2003) Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy-induced vasculitis: case series. J Rheumatol 30:2287–2291
Galaria NA, Werth VP, Schumacher HR (2000) Leukocytoclastic vasculitis due to etanercept. J Rheumatol 27:2041–2044
Brion PH, Mittal-Henkle A, Kalunian KC (1999) Autoimmune skin rashes associated with etanercept for rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Intern Med 131:634
Chan AT, Cleeve V, Daymond TJ (2002) Necrotising fasciitis in a patient receiving infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis. Postgrad Med J 78:47–48
Weinblatt ME, Keystone EC, Furst DE et al (2003) Adalimumab, a fully human anti-tumor necrosis factor α monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in patients taking concomitant methotrexate: the ARMADA trial. Arthritis Rheum 45:35–45
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nikas, S.N., Voulgari, P.V. & Drosos, A.A. Urticaria and angiedema-like skin reactions in a patient treated with adalimumab. Clin Rheumatol 26, 787–788 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-0197-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-005-0197-7