New From PubMed:

Researchers at the University of Ioannina Medical School in Ioannina, Greece studied the development of granuloma annulare in patients undergoing antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. The study involved 199 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 127 patients suffering from spondyloarthropathies who were being treated with anti-TNF therapy. In the RA group, 123 patients were treated with infliximab, 57 with adalimumab, and 17 with etanercept. 9 of these patients (2 infliximab patients, 6 adalimumab, 1 etanercept) developed granuloma annulare skin lesions. None of the spondyloarthropthy patients developed skin lesions, but all developed the generalized form of granuloma annulare. What’s more, 2 RA patients with skin lesions had to discontinue anti-TNF therapy because of the extent of the skin lesions. Researchers concluded that there is a significant link between anti-TNF therapy and the development of granuloma annulare. Physicians should watch for skin lesions on patients undergoing such treatment.

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