Demyelinating disease (multiple sclerosis) in a patient with psoriatic arthritis treated with adalimumab: a case-based review

Over the past two decades, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors became one of the most important drugs in the treatment of patients with psoriatic arthritis. Unfortunately, some of the patients exhibit unwanted side effects of the treatment. We describe a patient with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and uveitis who was treated with adalimumab and after 4 months of the treatment developed clinical and neuroradiological signs of demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. She experienced no signs and symptoms of neurological disease prior to adalimumab administration. After a detailed neurological work-up she was diagnosed with relapsing–remitting type of multiple sclerosis and treated with oral and pulse glucocorticoids and later with dimethyl fumarate. Adalimumab was discontinued. The question remains was the demyelination induced by the TNF-α blockade or was it unmasked by the introduction of the cytokine blocking agent. In patients suffering from inflammatory arthritis, treating disease to target as well as a close follow-up and knowledge of potential side effects of treatment remains crucial in good clinical practice.