What are the possible side effects of adalimumab?

Adalimumab (Adalimumab) is a widely used fully humanized anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) monoclonal antibody. It has significant efficacy in a variety of immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and ankylosing spondylitis. However, since it exerts its therapeutic effect by suppressing the immune response, it may inevitably bring about a series of side effects, which need to be paid attention to and monitored especially during long-term use.

One of the most common adverse reactions to adalimumab is injection site reaction, including local redness, swelling, itching, pain, or induration. This reaction is usually more obvious in the early stages of treatment, and most patients can resolve on their own without special treatment. Among systemic side effects, increased risk of infection is one of the greatest concerns. Due to the inhibition of the key immune factor TNF-α, adalimumab users are more susceptible to infections than the general population, including the common cold, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and even opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and fungal infections. People at high risk of tuberculosis infection usually need to be screened and given preventive treatment before use.

Excessive suppression of the immune system may also induce rare serious infections, such as disseminated fungal diseases, listeria meningitis, and widespread outbreaks of herpes zoster. In addition, some patients may produce autoantibodies during long-term use, inducing systemic lupus erythematosus-like syndrome or autoimmune phenomena such as rashes and photosensitivity. Although such reactions are relatively rare in clinical practice, their existence requires attention. Adalimumab is also associated with certain neurological complications such as demyelinating lesions. Some literature indicates that it may induce neurological symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis and should be used with caution in patients with a family history of central nervous system diseases.

Reference materials:https://www.drugs.com/adalimumab.html