Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33521572›Full record

ArticleMediterranean journal of rheumatology2020

The Use of Infliximab (Remicade®) for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases at a Tertiary Center in Lebanon: A 17-Year Retrospective Chart Review.

Vicky Nahra, Georges El Hasbani, Monique Chaaya, Imad Uthman

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Mediterranean journal of rheumatology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Vicky NahraDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Georges El HasbaniDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Monique ChaayaDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Imad UthmanDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
American University of Beirut Medical Center · LBAmerican University of Beirut · LB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesInfliximab (Remicade®) was the first tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) inhibitor to receive its initial marketing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Crohn's disease. Following that, infliximab became approved for several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. No evidence exists in the Middle East and North Africa region on the experience with infliximab use over an extended period in terms of efficacy and safety.

methodsThe Rheumatology division at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre (AUBMC), one of the largest tertiary centres in the Middle East and North Africa region, has been using infliximab infusions for the treatment of certain rheumatic diseases for around two decades. By reviewing retrospectively medical charts at AUBMC, we investigate indications, safety and efficacy, rate of withdrawals, rate of switching to another biologic, and financial coverage of the drug to present data for practitioners and patients in the region considering infliximab for treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

resultsA total of 198 patients were identified in the past 17 years to have taken infliximab. The largest proportion of treated patients had RA. Fourteen percent of the total cohort experienced serious adverse events, with 96.4% of those events being mild hypersensitivity reactions. Five patients withdrew the medication because of infectious complications, 4 of which were cases of tuberculosis reactivation. Despite that, around half of the patients were switched to another biologic agent such anti-TNF-α, anti-CD20, and anti-IL-6 due to partial response, and less than half were receiving add-on disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate, 70% of patients who used infliximab only or were switched achieved complete remission at their last hospital information. Around 98% of infliximab users were financially covered.

conclusionAccording to our experience, infliximab has made remission and prevention of long-term disability realistic goals of therapy in the Middle East region.

Indexed as

Biologicsefficacyindicationsinfliximabsafety profile

Identifiers

PMID33521572
PMCPMC7841097
OpenAlexW3114330392

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.