Key clinical point: Patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) were at higher risk of developing nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infection in mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) endemic areas.
Major finding: Patients with seropositive RA from an MTB endemic area, who were treated with vs. without TNFi were at a significantly higher risk for NTM infection (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.751; 95% CI 1.105-2.774), with females (aHR 2.108), patients aged 50-65 years (aHR 2.018), and patients without comorbidities (aHR 1.742; all P < .001) at higher risk of developing NTM infection after TNFi treatment.
Study details: This was a retrospective, population-based longitudinal cohort study including patients with seropositive RA. Of these, 1089 patients treated with TNFI were propensity-matched with 4356 untreated patients.
Disclosures: The study was supported by the research fund of Hanyang University, Republic of Korea. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Park DW et al. The impact of tofacitinib on fatigue, sleep, and health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a post hoc analysis of data from Phase 3 trials. Sci Rep. 2022;12:4003 (Mar 7). Doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07968-w