Anti-TNF treatment in ankylosing spondylitis patients with chronic kidney disease: Is it effective and safe?

Objective: This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of the antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: In this study, 24 male patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of <60 mL min(−1) 1.73 m(−2) were included among 863 patients who were followed-up once in 3 months regularly from 2010 to 2018 years. Twenty-four patients were chosen for the control group among 420 male patients whose renal functions were normal using random sampling. We examined C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum creatinine, and GFR values, and also the measurements of Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) were recorded at the beginning of the treatment with anti-TNF agents and in the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, and final visit months. Results: Eleven (45.9%) of the patients included in the study were in the routine dialysis program. The initial anti-TNF treatments were etanercept (62.5%), infliximab (16.7%), adalimumab (16.7%), and golimumab (4.1%). Treatment was effective in 22 (91.7%) of the patients. When the values of the two groups’ patients were compared at the beginning of the treatment, there was a substantial reduction regarding BASDAI (P < .001). Pleural effusion, infective endocarditis, septic arthritis, and prosthesis infection were major side effects (n = 4). The mortality rate of the 24 patients was 29.2% (n = 7). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that anti-TNF drug treatment is effective and safe in patients with AS who have chronic kidney disease.