Ustekinumab in enteropathic arthritis.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Enteropathic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• Current treatment options for enteropathic arthritis can be limited, especially in patients with concurrent IBD.
• Ustekinumab, a biologic agent targeting IL-12/23, has shown efficacy in various immune-mediated diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of ustekinumab in patients with enteropathic arthritis.
• To assess the impact of ustekinumab on IBD and associated extraintestinal manifestations.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed database for studies published between January 2010 and October 2021.
• Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, IBD and enteropathic arthritis symptoms, extraintestinal findings, treatments, and clinical/laboratory results were collected.
• Eleven patients diagnosed with enteropathic arthritis were included in the analysis.

Main Results:

• Ustekinumab treatment led to clinical and laboratory remission in IBD for all patients.
• Nine out of eleven patients achieved remission of enteropathic arthritis symptoms.
• Complete regression of extraintestinal findings was observed in all patients following ustekinumab therapy.

Conclusions:

• Ustekinumab demonstrates significant efficacy in managing enteropathic arthritis and associated IBD.
• The drug appears to be a promising treatment option for patients experiencing enteropathic arthritis, particularly those with IBD.
• Successful treatment responses and consideration of the underlying pathogenesis support ustekinumab's role in this patient population.