Thalidomide for rheumatic disease: the best of both worlds?

摘要

As rheumatologists, each of us is keenly aware of the fine balance between therapeutic suppression of inflammatory reactions to prevent tissue damage and the corresponding increased risk of severe infection. A variety of biologic agents are now available that interfere with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or interleukin (IL) -1 (3, and additional agents that block IL-6 are likely to be available in the near future.