Enbrel Safe for Hepatitis C?

¶ … Enbrel Safe for Hepatitis C?

Enbrel May Not Be As Safe As Previously Claimed Vis-a-vis Hepatitis C

Six years ago a 60-year-old male patient - with lesions on his face and around his rectum - sought treatment for plaque type psoriasis (PsA) and also needed treatment for rosacea (with Hepatitis C). Dovoxen and Psorcon were prescribed to help control the psoriasis (which he had suffered from since he was six years old) and he was put on cleocin and metrocream for the rosacea. His psoriasis and rosacea showed signs of improving, up until November of 2002. At that time a flair-up of psoriatic plaques attacked his forehead, cheeks, elbows, knees, legs, back, and B/L cheeks.

To counteract the psoriatic plaques, the patient was given temovate ointment for the body, and a cutivate cream for his face. Those medications did not relieve his symptoms. And in 2004 he was administered several treatments for his psoriasis - including Dermasmooth, Tazorac, Ultravate, UV light therapy and IM Bicillin - all of which failed. The prognosis at time was that the patient might well be resistant to treatment for his psoriasis.

And hence, he became a candidate for Enbrel; the literature on Enbrel showed that although Enbrel has caused negative results in some psoriasis patients (for example, injection site infection (www.embrel.com) it was deemed safe to use in patients who had Hepatitis C Lab tests were ordered and conducted on the 60-year-old patient's liver, and the results indicated normal enzyme production in the liver. In August 2004, the patient was started on Enbrel 50 MG twice a week, and some immediate improvement was noted; but after 18 weeks, the patient, who was inconsistent in making appointments, showed a worsened psoriasis condition. The dosage was cut to 50 MG once a week, and patient was urged to visit his liver doctor to have PCR for his Hepatitis C titers (concentration), to repeat CBC and Liver Function Test (LFT) titers (which was normal in Aug. 2002). A mild elevation of LFTs was discovered, so the patient was worked up further with ultrasound and a liver biopsy. The patient was then started in IFN treatment and Enbrel was discontinued. By June, 2006, the patient's LFT had returned to normal.