TNF-Blockers May Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer Disease in Patients With Inflammatory Diseases

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocking agents are associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and other inflammatory diseases, according to new data.

This conclusion comes after a research team evaluated the electronic health records from 56 million unique adult patients who received at least one prescription for a TNF-blocking agent (etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab) or methotrexate.

Overall, the risk for AD was higher among patients with RA (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.06), psoriasis (AOR, 1.37), ankylosing spondylitis (AOR, 1.57), inflammatory bowel disease (AOR, 2.46), ulcerative colitis (AOR, 1.82), and Crohn disease (AOR, 2.33).

Patients with psoriasis had a lower risk for AD with use of etanercept (AOR, 0.47) and adalimumab (AOR, 0.41). Patients with RA had a lower risk of AD with use of etanercept (AOR, 0.34), adalimumab (AOR, 0.28), or infliximab (AOR, 0.52).

Patients with a prescription history for methotrexate (AOR, 0.64) also had a lower risk for AD.

“This study identifies a subset of patients in whom systemic inflammation contributes to risk for AD through a pathological mechanism involving TNF and who therefore may benefit from treatment with a TNF blocking agent,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Zhou M, Xu R, Kaelber DC, Gurney ME. Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocking agents are associated with lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis [published on March 23, 2020]. PLOS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229819.