RESEARCH - Hepatoprotective effect of TNF blockade in psoriatic arthritis

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 Jun;69(6):1148-50. Epub 2009 Oct 22.

Hepatoprotective effect of tumour necrosis factor alpha blockade in

psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study.

Seitz M, Reichenbach S, Möller B, Zwahlen M, Villiger PM, Dufour JF.

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology or Allergology,

Bern University Hospital, Bern 3010, Switzerland.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of tumour necrosis factor alpha

(TNFalpha) blockers on the presence of liver fibrosis in patients with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with

methotrexate (MTX).

METHODS: Participants were consecutive patients with RA and PsA who

had undergone MTX treatment for at least 1 year + or - TNF blockade

for over 6 months. Liver fibrosis was assessed using non-invasive

transient elastography (FibroScan). Regression models were used to

compare FibroScan values of patients with RA and patients with PsA

receiving TNFalpha blockers with those who were not.

RESULTS: FibroScan assessments were performed on 51 patients with RA

and 43 patients with PsA. Compared to patients with RA, those with PsA

were predominantly young men, received lower cumulative dosages of MTX

and exhibited a higher incidence of liver steatosis and

hyperlipidaemia. An abnormal result was observed in 7.1% of the

anti-TNFalpha-naïve and in 13% of the anti-TNFalpha-treated patients

in the RA group and in 30% of the anti-TNFalpha-naïve and 4.3% of the

anti-TNFalpha-treated patients in the PsA group (OR=0.11, 95% CI 0.02

to 0.98). Results of the PsA group were robust when adjusted for

baseline characteristics.

CONCLUSION: The results suggest a protective effect of TNFalpha

inhibitors against the development of liver fibrosis in patients with

PsA.

PMID: 19854710

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19854710

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