Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory spondyloarthritis that occurs in combination with psoriasis. The exact prevalence of PsA is unknown, and its pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. Genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors have all been implicated. The appearance of arthritis might precede, succeed or occur concomitant with skin lesions. PsA is sometimes considered a benign form of arthritis, but it affects patient quality of life and also causes functional impairment. Up to 20% of affected patients exhibit extremely destructive and disfiguring forms of the disease, and PsA is associated with increased mortality. The treatment of PsA aims to provide relief from signs and symptoms of the disease, prevent structural damage to joints, improve patient quality of life and decrease mortality. The choice of treatment depends on the severity of clinical presentation. The use of immunobiological agents is restricted to cases that do not respond to conservative treatment.

Demyelinating diseases were described in patients receiving anti-TNF agents. Optic neuritis (ON) induced by TNF blockers was already described in 22 cases in the literature. In this article, the authors report a 53-year-old woman with refractory rheumatoid arthritis that developed neuritis optica after the fourth dose of infliximab and had a good outcome after anti-TNF withdrawal, associated with glucocorticoid treatment. In addition, the previous cases of ON induced by anti-TNF agents were reviewed.

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For severe cases, infliximab withdrawal combined with conventional immunosuppressive psoriasis drugs or with adalimumab may be a therapeutic option.