The use of a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor—adalimumab—in the management of arthritis in an adolescent with HIV: A case report

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with a myriad of musculoskeletal manifestations. Inflammatory arthritis has been described in association with HIV in both adults and children. Biologic disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs, particularly tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), have been reported to manage inflammatory arthritis in adults with HIV when conventional therapy fails to control arthritis. In this report, we describe the management of arthritis and enthesitis in a 12‐year‐old adolescent male with HIV using the TNFi adalimumab. At the time of presentation, the patient was on highly active antiretroviral therapy for 1 year. His viral load was <40 copies/mL, and the CD4+ T‐cell count was 1280 cells/mm3. He had a positive antinuclear antibody and HLA‐B27. Rheumatoid factor was negative. After screening for hepatitis B and C and latent tuberculosis, the patient was started on adalimumab. This report describes the successful control of recalcitrant arthritis and enthesitis in a pediatric patient with HIV infection using adalimumab.