TNF Inhibitors Linked to Increased Multiple Sclerosis Risk
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Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors are associated with an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), especially among patients with rheumatic disease (RD), new research shows.
When investigators combed medical databases in four Canadian provinces for information on patients with RD and irritable bowel disease (IBD) taking anti-TNF-alpha agents alongside matched controls in a prospective cohort study, they found an increased risk for MS in the RD patients.
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@chandi Anti-TNF-alpha agents are often prescribed to stop inflammation for chronic immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Prior research has raised suspicions of an increased risk of MS with use of anti-TNF-alpha agents in small samples.
Investigators accessed population-linked databases in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, which contain information about physician visits, hospitalizations, demographic data, and medication in those provinces.