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Topics:
Rheumatology • Rheumatoid Arthritis
Would you have any concerns about starting an anti-TNF in RF and anti-CCP positive RA patients who also have high titer ANA?
Is there an increased drug induced lupus risk?
Answer from: at Academic Institution
No, I would not have any concerns. A patient with seropositive RA who demonstrates a positive ANA remains a patient with RA, not someone with an overlap connective tissue disease syndrome. Since a positive ANA can be seen in a sizable percentage of healthy people and among those treated with TNFi dr...
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Answer from: at Academic Institution
About 20% of patients with RA would have a positive ANA. Also, as mentioned in Dr. @Simon M. Helfgott's comment, once the patient has received an anti-TNFi for a while, the ANA may turn positive just because of the treatment. This is not uncommon. However, true TNFi-induced clinical lupus is much ra...