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Aplastic anemia following administration of a tumor necrosis factor‐ α inhibitor
Author(s) -
Kuruvilla John,
Leitch Heather A.,
Vickars Linda M.,
Galbraith Paul F.,
Li Charles H.,
AlSaab Saad,
Naiman Sheldon C.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0902-4441
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2003.00115.x
Subject(s) - etanercept , medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , tumor necrosis factor alpha , aplastic anemia , immunology , infliximab , blockade , pancytopenia , sepsis , arthritis , pathogenesis , anemia , receptor , bone marrow
Upregulation of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐ α ) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Therapeutic agents such as antibodies or soluble TNF‐ α receptor analogs, which block TNF‐ α activity are a recent addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for the conditions. We describe a patient who developed aplastic anemia complicated by sepsis after receiving etanercept, a TNF‐ α receptor analog, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Pancytopenia resolved within 3 wk of discontinuing etanercept. To our knowledge, this is the first report of aplastic anemia associated with TNF‐ α blockade.