Infliximab treatment in two Chinese patients with psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a rheumatoid factor (RF)-seronegative systemic inflammatory disorder associated with psoriasis. Current treatment for PsA in China is still focused on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). In this paper, we report two Chinese patients with active longstanding PsA treated with infliximab, a human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The results show that infliximab acted quickly and effectively in relieving peripheral and axial symptoms and refractory skin lesions, even in recombinant human TNF-α receptor (rhTNFR)-resistant case. The take-home message from our cases is that infliximab is a useful therapeutic option for refractory PsA, especially when a patient has a combination of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Further local evidence and experience must be accumulated in order to make anti-TNF-α therapy more accessible to PsA patients in China.