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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
TNF-α inhibitors and tocilizumab do not influence hepatic steatosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Paola Sessa, Rosella Tirri, Gabriele Valentini, Rheumatology Unit, Second University of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Matteo Nicola Dario Di Minno, Giovanni Tarantino, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Carmine Finelli, Center of Obesity and Eating Disorders, Stella Maris Mediterraneum Foundation, C/da S. Lucia, Chiaromonte, 80035 Potenza, Italy
Giovanni Tarantino, National Cancer Institute “Pascale Foundation” IRCSS, Mercogliano (AV), 80131 Naples, Italy
Author contributions: Sessa P selected patients, gathered clinical data, performed statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript; Tarantino G evaluated imaging tools; Di Minno MND, Finelli C and Tarantino G critically revised the manuscript; Tirri R helped select patients, run statistics and draft the manuscript; Valentini G designed the study.
Correspondence to: Giovanni Tarantino, MD, Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. tarantin@unina.it
Telephone: +39-81-7462024 Fax: +39-81-5466152
Received: January 5, 2014
Revised: March 1, 2014
Accepted: March 6, 2014
Published online: March 12, 2014
Revised: March 1, 2014
Accepted: March 6, 2014
Published online: March 12, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6 are not only key-cytokines in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but can also inducing hepatic steatosis (HS) in general population. RA patients treated with Methotrexate (MTX) or TNF-α inhibitors or Tocilizumab underwent an abdominal ultrasonography for the assessment of presence of HS and the evaluation of its grade. At baseline and after 12 mo no difference was detected either in the prevalence of HS or in that of its distinct grades between the patients treated with MTX or TNF-α inhibitors or Tocilizumab.