Efficacy of antitumor necrosis factor(α) agents on patients with ankylosing spondylitis

This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of antitumor necrosis factor(TNF)(a) agents (etanercept, infliximab, golimumab or adalimumab) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

A literature search was done using PubMed, Embaseand Cochrane databases. The reference section of all primary studies was inspected for additional references, and only those reporting the results of a randomized-controlled trial comparing etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab with placebo for patients with AS were included in this analysis.

Eleven trials with 1851 patients were included. Compared with placebo, anti-TNF(α) agents was associated with significantly higher rates of Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis (ASAS) 20 responders (risk ratio [RR]: 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.13-2.82; P < 0.00001), ASAS 50 responders (RR: 3.77, 95% CI: 2.87-4.95; P < 0.00001), ASAS 70 responders (RR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.97-5.35; P < 0.00001) and patients with partial remission (RR: 5.39, 95% CI: 3.25-8.93; P < 0.00001). In addition, there were more patients with at least 50% improvement in the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score in the experimental groups (RR: 3.07, 95% CI: 2.44-3.86; P < 0.00001). Most adverse events in both treatment groups were mild or moderate in severity.

Anti-TNF(a) agents is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for reducing clinical symptoms of AS.