Ulcerative colitis during CTLA-4Ig therapy in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

The coexistence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is exceptional, with only a few cases reported in the literature.1–4 However, the current use of biological agents can modify the balance of inflammatory mediators and the lymphocytic profiles of the original disease, promoting the emergence of additional conditions. This seems to be the case for a patient with severe RA who developed UC while being treated with CTLA-4Ig (abatacept). We report the case of a 55 year old male with a seven year history of seropositive RA refractory to treatment with 20 mg/week methotrexate (MTX), 1.5 g/day sulphasalazine (SSZ), 400 mg/day hydroxychloroquine, and 100 mg/day azathioprine. The patient was included in an CTLA-4Ig (10 mg/kg intravenously monthly) …

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