Leonard Calabrese, DO Head, Section of Clinical Immunology, Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Disease, and Department of Infectious Diseases, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; and Professor of Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
Address: Leonard Calabrese, DO, Department of Rheumatologic and Immunologic Disease, A50, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195; e-mail calabrl@ccf.org
The author has indicated that he has served as a consultant to the Abbott and Amgen corporations.
Medical Grand Rounds articles are based on edited transcripts from Division of Medicine Grand Rounds presentations at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. They are approved by the author but are not peer-reviewed.
ABSTRACTTumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors have proven highly effective against a number of autoimmune diseases but have been disappointing in treating others. An increase in the risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections has been noted in patients treated with these agents. If we use these drugs, we need to weigh their beneficial and adverse effects.
