Medications that target tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a protein involved in inflammation, have revolutionized the management of certain autoimmune diseases, but paradoxically, these agents might provoke the development of other autoimmune conditions.
Researchers looked at 17,018 patients with autoimmune diseases who were treated with anti-TNF-alpha medications—mostly infliximab, etanercept (Enbrel, Amgen) and adalimumab—and compared them with 63,308 people who were not.