Not all TNF inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis are created equal: important clinical differences

Anti-TNF therapy has dramatically changed how we manage rheumatoid arthritis. There are many similarities among the five approved agents but also some important differences. Rheumatologists have 5 different options to choose from when they are ready to commence anti-TNF therapy. Although all block the TNF cytokine, there are important critical differences among them that affect their safety profile and clinical utility in certain scenarios. Unfortunately, there are no head to head trials to compare the different anti-TNF agents and none appear to be in the horizon. Areas covered: This article reviews the various clinical situations where it may be important to use a particular anti-TNF agent. The authors also give their expert opinion and future perspectives on the area. Expert opinion: Although there are many similarities among the five different TNFi that are clinically available, there are important clinical niches, where the limited data that are available, that clearly support the preferential use of a particular agent or class of agents. Assays or tests that allow us to find the 'sweet spot' of TNF inhibition at the level of each patient are long overdue.