Pulmonary nodulosis and aseptic granulomatous lung disease occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking agent: a case series.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pulmonary nodulosis and aseptic granulomatous lung disease occurring in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha-blocking agent: a case series.

AU - Toussirot, Eric

AU - Berthelot, Jean Marie

AU - Pertuiset, Edouard

AU - Bouvard, Béatrice

AU - Gaudin, Philippe

AU - Wendling, Daniel

AU - José, Le Noach

AU - Lohse, Ansgar W.

AU - Lecuyer, Emmanuelle

AU - Cri, Le

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To describe cases of development of pulmonary nodulosis or aseptic granulomatous lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) therapy. METHODS: A call for observation of such cases was sent to members of the French "Club Rhumatismes et Inflammation." The cases had to occur after introduction of TNF-alpha-blocking therapy. RESULTS: Eleven cases were examined: 6 patients were treated with etanercept, 2 with infliximab, and 3 with adalimumab. Pulmonary nodular lesions were observed after a mean treatment period of 23.3 +/- 15.3 months. Clinical symptoms were observed in 5 cases. Radiographs or computed tomography of the chest showed single or multiple nodular lesions in 10 cases and hilar adenopathies in 1 case. Biopsy of the nodular chest lesions or mediastinal lymphadenopathies were performed in 8 patients, and revealed typical rheumatoid nodules in 4 cases and noncaseating granulomatous lesions in 4 cases. Mycobacterial or opportunistic infections were excluded for all cases. Outcome was favorable for all the patients, with either discontinuation or maintenance of anti-TNF-alpha treatment. CONCLUSION: Aseptic pulmonary nodular inflammation corresponding to rheumatoid nodules or noncaseating granulomatous inflammation can occur during anti-TNF-alpha therapy for RA, mainly etanercept. The mechanism explaining such a reaction is not clear but certainly includes different processes. These cases of pulmonary nodular inflammation generally have a benign course and do not systematically require withdrawal of treatment.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To describe cases of development of pulmonary nodulosis or aseptic granulomatous lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) therapy. METHODS: A call for observation of such cases was sent to members of the French "Club Rhumatismes et Inflammation." The cases had to occur after introduction of TNF-alpha-blocking therapy. RESULTS: Eleven cases were examined: 6 patients were treated with etanercept, 2 with infliximab, and 3 with adalimumab. Pulmonary nodular lesions were observed after a mean treatment period of 23.3 +/- 15.3 months. Clinical symptoms were observed in 5 cases. Radiographs or computed tomography of the chest showed single or multiple nodular lesions in 10 cases and hilar adenopathies in 1 case. Biopsy of the nodular chest lesions or mediastinal lymphadenopathies were performed in 8 patients, and revealed typical rheumatoid nodules in 4 cases and noncaseating granulomatous lesions in 4 cases. Mycobacterial or opportunistic infections were excluded for all cases. Outcome was favorable for all the patients, with either discontinuation or maintenance of anti-TNF-alpha treatment. CONCLUSION: Aseptic pulmonary nodular inflammation corresponding to rheumatoid nodules or noncaseating granulomatous inflammation can occur during anti-TNF-alpha therapy for RA, mainly etanercept. The mechanism explaining such a reaction is not clear but certainly includes different processes. These cases of pulmonary nodular inflammation generally have a benign course and do not systematically require withdrawal of treatment.

M3 - SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz

VL - 36

SP - 2421

EP - 2427

JO - J RHEUMATOL

JF - J RHEUMATOL

SN - 0315-162X

IS - 11

M1 - 11

ER -