Infliximab and adalimumab are considered effective drugs in the management of Crohn's disease. However, due to significant immunossupression, they can cause important adverse events, mostly infections.
The aim of this study was to quantify and describe adverse events derived from adalimumab and infliximab use in Crohn's disease patients, and to compare the safety profile between these two agents.
This was an observational, single-center, longitudinal, retrospective study with Crohn's disease patients under infliximab or adalimumab therapy. Variables analyzed: demographic characteristics (including the Montreal classification), type of agent used, concomitant immunomodulators, presence and types of adverse events observed. Patients were allocated in two groups (infliximab and adalimumab) and had their adverse events accessed and subsequently compared.
A total of 130 patients were included (68 in infliximab and 62 in adalimumab groups, respectively). The groups were fully homogeneous in all baseline characteristics, with a median follow-up of 47.21±36.52 months in the infliximab group and 47.79±35.09 in the adalimumab group (P=0.512). Adverse events were found in 43/68 (63.2%) and 40/62 (64.5%) in each group, respectively (P=0.879). There were no differences between the groups regarding infections (P=0.094) or treatment interruption (P=0.091). There were higher rates of infusion reactions in the infliximab group (P=0.016). Cephalea and injection site reactions were more prevalent in adalimumab patients.
Adverse events were found in approximately two thirds of Crohn's disease patients under anti-TNF therapy, and there were no significant differences between infliximab or adalimumab.