Decrease of fructosamine levels during treatment with adalimumab in patients with both diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: European journal of endocrinology Vol. 156; no. 3; pp. 291 - 293
• Main Authors: van Eijk, I C, Peters, M J L, Nurmohamed, M T, van Deutekom, A W, Dijkmans, B A C, Simsek, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester European Society of Endocrinology 01-03-2007; Portland Press
• Subjects: Adalimumab; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal - adverse effects; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Case Reports; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Fructosamine - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Endocrinopathy; Human; Immunopathology; Glycated protein; Diabetes mellitus; Cytokine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Monoclonal antibody; Chronic; Treatment; Rheumatoid arthritis; Anticytokine; Adalimumab; Tumor necrosis factor α; Endocrinology
• ISSN: 0804-4643; 1479-683X
• DOI: 10.1530/EJE-06-0693

Tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which has been closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance. We present two cases of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and concomitant diabetes mellitus, who showed a marked decrease of fructosamine levels after initiating therapy with adalimumab, a TNFα-blocking agent, for active RA. This finding may implicate that TNFα blockade causes better glycaemic control in RA patients with concomitant diabetes, possibly by improving insulin resistance.