Anakinra did not interfere with the effectiveness of tetanus vaccine, according to the findings of one controlled trial.
The authors said they had no conflicts of interest pertaining to the update.
My Take
Recommendations Are Evolving
This consensus statement remains an evolving document as the state of research and appearance of new drugs require constant updating. This statement represents a good, data-based statement supplemented by findings gathered from reports of worldwide experience with these agents and expertise from about 150 recognized experts.
One important aspect of the statement is that the level of evidence for the recommendations is included, allowing readers to judge the document in context. The recommendations can be a focus for local statements by the European Union as well as Central and South American countries.
The statement also offers a resource for off-label drug use, because it contains extensive appendices of documented off-label use of biologic agents.
DANIEL E. FURST, M.D., the Carl M. Pearson professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, is the lead author on the updated consensus statement on biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatic diseases, 2009.
Dr. Furst