Infliximab is a protein with an anti TNF-α activity which is given in an intra-venous manner to treat inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory joint disease. This treatment may cause infusion reaction events, but this may be prevented using treatment with pre-medication.
To assess the incidence of infusion reaction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and patients with rheumatic disease who are treated with Infliximab, with or without corticosteroid premedication respectively. To determine whether premedication with corticosteroids decreases the incidence of infusion reactions.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study at the Soroka Medical Center that includes records from 92 patients treated with Infliximab: Group A includes 70 inflammatory joint disease patients who were not treated with hydrocortisone premedication and, group B includes 22 inflammatory bowel disease patients who were treated with hydrocortisone premedication. Incidence and severity of infusion reaction were assessed.
The incidence of infusion reactions in the group which did not receive premedication was 26.1% (18/69), while in the group receiving premedication the incidence was 13.6% (3/22). Results are not statistically significant but reflect a trend. Most reactions occurred in the second treatment and most were of medium severity.
The results seem to reflect a positive trend favoring the use of premedication with hydrocortisone before Infliximab infusion, especially given the minor side-effects of this treatment.