Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient treated with a tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor

Int J Rheum Dis. 2010 Aug;13(3):e16-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1756-185X.2010.01528.x.

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of a variety of autoimmune diseases. TNF-alpha inhibitors have been shown to offer clinical benefits in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and Crohn's disease. Occasionally, these agents have been associated with infectious complications because of their immunosuppressive activity. Globally, several cases of infections associated with TNF-alpha inhibitors have been reported. However, Aspergillus infection associated with etanercept is very rare. We report a case of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis in a 51-year-old man with AS that developed after treatment with etanercept.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / adverse effects*
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Etanercept
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / adverse effects*
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / chemically induced*
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / drug therapy*
  • Spondylitis, Ankylosing / immunology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Etanercept