Evaluation of peripheral nerves in patients receiving anti-tumor \rnecrosis factor-alpha drug therapy

Aim: Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) drug treatments are widely used in many inflammatory diseases. \rNeurological complications have rarely been reported in these treatments. Our aim in this study was to \rinvestigate the neurological findings that occurred in our patients receiving this treatment.\rMethods: A case-control study conducted in (institutional information was blinded) between September 2018-\rSeptember 2019. The study included 35 patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocker drug, and 37 \rhealthy control subjects with similar demographic characteristics. The disease activity scores of the patient \rgroup and physical function scores of the patient and control groups were questioned. All patients underwent a \rdetailed physical and neurological examination. Afterward, peripheral nerves were evaluated \rneurophysiologically. According to distribution Mann-Whitney U test or independent samples t-test was used \rwhen comparing groups. The relationship between Short Form-36 and age or body mass index was determined \rby using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.\rResults: The results obtained in sensory and motor nerve conduction examinations were compared between \rgroups. Patients using anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha had peripheral sensory neuropathy. Examination of \rperipheral motor nerves was within normal limits.\rConclusions: Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha drugs have good effects in inflammatory diseases. These patients \rshould be carefully monitored for neurological findings.\r