Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents are generally well tolerated, yet they can be associated with serious adverse events (SAEs) in a minority of patients. We examined the incidence of SAEs in a pediatric referral center for chronic rheumatologic and gastroenterological inflammatory disorders.
Retrospective analysis of SAEs occurring during treatment with anti-TNF-α agents in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (n = 78)  or pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (n = 105) seen at the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo" in Trieste, Italy, between June 2001 and February 2016. Only SAEs grade 3-5 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03 and/or requiring definitive therapy discontinuation were reported.
Total anti-TNF-α exposure was 390.5 patient-years (PYs). The overall incidence rate of SAEs for etanercept was 4.14/100 PYs. Four patients developed uveitis, two had anxiety disorders, one had a serious zoster infection, and one developed TNF-α antagonist-induced lupus-like syndrome (TAILS). The overall incidence rate of SAEs for infliximab was 22.49/100 PYs. The most common SAEs were anaphylactoid reactions (n = 18), followed by infectious events (n = 9) and TAILS (n = 3). The overall incidence rate of SAEs for adalimumab was 4.71/100 PYs (two infectious SAEs). No malignancies or deaths were observed. A greater incidence rate of infectious SAEs was observed in IBD patients receiving infliximab compared to JIA patients receiving etanercept (8.11 vs 0.52 per 100 PYs).
Anti-TNF-α therapy was generally well tolerated. SAEs leading to anti-TNF-α discontinuation were rare and non-fatal. Infliximab was associated with the highest incidence of SAEs. Infectious SAEs were more frequently observed in IBD patients treated with infliximab than in JIA patients receiving etanercept.