Humira vs. Enbrel - for the Elderly

[Guest guest]

I am writing on my Mother's behalf once again. She is 78. She is

being treated for RA with MTX, Medrol and Enbrel. The Enbrel was

effective for 3½ months. However, at that point, she developed

injection site reactions from the Enbrel. For three successive

injections, each reaction became more painful than the last. Enbrel

was stopped for three weeks, and then restarted for one injection.

The fourth reaction was worse than the other three. Each reaction

consisted of a raised, red area which would ultimately grow to about

5 " by 3 " , hot to the touch, and it burned as though there were a hot

poker on her skin. After 6 days, the pain would subside. These

reactions occurred after injections on the right and left side of her

stomach and also on her thigh.

The Enbrel has been discontinued. Humira has been prescribed as a

replacement for the Enbrel. She has not yet begun those injections.

My questions to the group are these:

1) If one has injections site reactions with one biologic, is it

likely that there will be reactions with another.

2) Would 25 mg dosing of Enbrel 2xs a week be less likely to cause

reactions?

3) Of the medications available, is one better or safer for someone

in her age range. I have read that the frequency of serious

infection and malignancy among Humira-treated subjects over age 65

was higher than for those under age 65. Perhaps the same is true for

all biologics, I don't know.

4) Would it perhaps be better to revert to treatment with a higher

dose of MTX and Medrol alone and eliminate the biologics altogether?