What is etanercept?
Etanercept works by decreasing a certain protein produced by the immune system. The immune system helps the body fight infections. In people with autoimmune disorders, the immune system mistakes the body's own cells for invaders and attacks them.
Etanercept is used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis, and to prevent joint damage caused by these conditions. It is also used to treat plaque psoriasis in adults and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children who are at least 2 years old.
Etanercept may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about etanercept?
Some people using etanercept have developed a rare fast-growing type of lymphoma (cancer). This condition affects the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and it can be fatal. This has occurred mainly in teenagers and young adults using etanercept or similar medicines to treat Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of the following symptoms: fever, night sweats, itching, loss of appetite, weight loss, tiredness, feeling full after eating only a small amount, pain in your upper stomach that may spread to your shoulder, nausea, easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Etanercept can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections. Your blood may need to be tested often. Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with etanercept. Contact your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: fever, cough, sweating, tired feeling, or if you feel short of breath.
Children using this medication should be current on all childhood immunizations before starting treatment with etanercept.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using etanercept?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to etanercept, or if you have a severe infection such as sepsis (infection of the blood).
Some people using etanercept have developed a rare fast-growing type of lymphoma (cancer). This condition affects the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and it can be fatal. This has occurred mainly in teenagers and young adults using etanercept or similar medicines to treat Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. However, people with autoimmune disorders (including psoriasis) may have a higher risk of lymphoma. Talk to your doctor about your individual risk.
Before using etanercept, tell your doctor if you have ever had tuberculosis, if anyone in your household has tuberculosis, or if you have recently traveled to an area where tuberculosis is common.
To make sure you can safely use etanercept, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
a weak immune system, or any type of infection including a skin infection or open sores;
diabetes;
congestive heart failure;
a nerve disorder such as multiple sclerosis, myelitis, or optic neuritis;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
asthma or other breathing disorder;
if you have ever had hepatitis B;
if you are allergic to latex rubber; or
if you are scheduled to receive any vaccines, or if you have recently been vaccinated with BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin).
FDA pregnancy category B. Etanercept is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether etanercept passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Children using this medication should be current on all childhood immunizations before starting treatment with etanercept.