Pulmonary Infectious Complications Associated with Anti-TNF.ALPHA. Therapy (Infliximab) for Rheumatoid Arthritis
- 1 January 2006
- journal article
- case report
- Published by Japanese Society of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine
- Vol. 45 (10), 685-688
- https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.45.1623
Abstract
Two patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that developed serious infectious complications following anti-TNFα therapy (infliximab) are reported. Patient 1 developed tuberculosis with high fever, refractory diarrhea and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Trans-bronchial needle biopsy was useful to confirm the diagnosis. Patient 2 showed sudden onset of dyspnea with diffuse bilateral lung infiltration caused by pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and the diagnosis was confirmed by broncho-alveolar lavage. Physicians should be alerted to infectious complications with atypical presentation and rapid progression in infliximab-treated patients. Invasive diagnostic procedures including fiber-optic bronchoscopy may be necessary early in the course for such cases.Keywords
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