Autoantibody induction in patients with refractory spondyloarthropathy treated with infliximab and methotrexate

Conclusion. - Autoantibody induction was far less common in our patients than in the population studied by De Rycke et al. [Arthritis Rheum. 48 (2003) 1015], who found ANA in 88.6% and antibodies to double-stranded DNA in 17.1% of 35 patients taking infliximab without methotrexate. Methotrexate may reduce the risk of autoantibody induction and disimmunity associated with infliximab therapy.