Effects of Etanercept on Clinical and Immunological outcomes in Iraqi Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease affects joints and connective tissueswhere different types of cytokines are involved in its pathogenesis and progression. Biological drugs areconsidered to be a more targeted treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the aim of current studywas to explore the effects of etanercept, a biological drug that inhibits tumor necrosis-alpha, on clinical andimmunological variables in Iraqi patients with RA. Methods: A prospective open-label study conductedfrom February to November/ 2020 at Rheumatology Unit, Baghdad Teaching Hospital/ Medical city, Iraq.The study involved 75 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who underwent a 12-week course of treatment withetanercept monotherapy or combined with methotrexate. Assessments of disease activity and immunologicalmarkers (using SDAI and ELISA technique, respectively) were performed for the patients after the course oftreatment and compared with healthy controls. Results: Data from current study showed that disease activitywas not affected by type of treatment and immunological markers were higher in patients with rheumatoidarthritis than in control subjects regardless of type of treatment. Conclusion: To achieve an effectivecontrol of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, treatment with etanercept (monotherapy or combined withmethotrexate) needs to be continued for more 12 weeks.