Long-term follow-up of patients with tuberculosis as a complication of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonist therapy: safe re-initiation of TNF-α blockers after appropriate anti-tuberculous treatment

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the long-term outcome of patients with tuberculosis (TB) as a complication of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α blocker therapy. All TB cases (n = 21) complicating TNF-α blocker therapy from French university hospitals were collated between January 2000 and September 2002. Outcome was assessed via a postal questionnaire during September 2005. The mortality rate after 4 years was 4.8%, and one patient had relapsed and six (29%) patients had recommenced TNF-α antagonist treatment, after appropriate anti-TB therapy, without reactivation. These data support the concept that TNF-α antagonists can be restarted in TB patients provided that adequate anti-TB treatment has been completed.