Question
I have been diagnosed with RA and AS. Three years ago I was prescribed Enbrel. I had to discontinue the drug after 3 months due to elevation of liver enzymes. Within a few months I developed a “red face,” not a rash but bright redness on my cheeks and bridge of my nose. My doctor said it was probably vasculitis due to RA, but my new doctor is suggesting I should be evaluated for Lupus. Can Enbrel trigger lupus?
Answer
HI Cheryl,
Good question. In general, the TNF inhibitors (Enbrel, Remicade and Humira) have indeed been associated with development of lupus like syndromes, mainly manifested by rashes and some other mild symptoms. This should be considered in the list of possible causes of your rash. OF course, it may be entirely unrelated. A dermatologist would be the best one to sort out the cause of the rash.
