Table 3

Skin infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) given TNF-α-blocking therapy



Time to event















Infection
No. of events
Median
Range
Druga (no.)
Active treatmentb (no.)
Rechallenge (no.)
Permanent withdrawal of anti-TNF-αc (no.)
Biopsy (no.)
Cultured species

Fungal
20
8.7
1.1–61.1






     Dermatomycosis
9


A 3, I 4, E 2
7

0
1
Trichophyton verrucosum (1) T. rubrum (1)
     Onychomycosis
3


A 3
3

0
0

     Combination
5


A 3, I 1, L 1
4

0
1
Trichophyton rubrum (3) T. mentagrofytes (1)
     Candidiasis
3


I 3
2

0
0
Candida spp. (2)
Bacterial
11
9.5
1.4–52.5






     Folliculitis
5


A 3, E 2
4
yes, negative
1
2
Staphylococcus aureus (1)
     Erysipelas
3


E 2, I 1
3
yes, negative
2
1

     Bacterial superinfection of eczema
2


A 1, I 1
1
yes, positive
1
0

     Furuncle
1


I 1
0

0
0

Viral – herpes zoster
2
17.3, 40.9d

A 1, I 1
0

0
0


aA, adalimumab; I, infliximab; E, etanercept; L, lenercept. bDuring active treatment with TNF-α-blocking therapy. cPermanent discontinuation of TNF-α-blocking therapy due to the event.d Individual values

Flendrie et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2005 7:R666   doi:10.1186/ar1724