Isolated digital vasculitis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: good response to tumour necrosis factor alpha blocking treatment.

Abstract

Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) blocking agents are among the most promising new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, no data exist about the effect of these agents on extra-articular manifestations of RA. A patient is described with small vessel vasculitis that repeatedly responded well to treatment with the soluble p55 TNFalpha receptor fusion protein Ro 45-2081 (lenercept).