Perfil de pacientes com artrite reumatoide em uso de inibidores do Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa (TNF-?), cadastrados no Componente Especializado da Assistência Farmacêutica de Pernambuco, Brasil / Profile of patients with rheumatoid arthritis under treatment with inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-?) enrolled in the Specialized Program for Pharmaceutical Services of Pernambuco State (Brazil)
In Pernambuco, with federal funding from the BrazilianMinistry of Health, the State Department of Health providesthe anti-TNF-? drugs (adalimumab, etanerceptand infliximab) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA), as set out in a Clinical Protocol of TherapeuticGuidelines. The aim of the study was to describe thedemographic and clinical profile of RA patients treatedwith anti-TNF-? drugs enrolled in the Specialized Programfor Pharmaceutical Services (CEAF) in Pernambuco.A cross-sectional study was performed by collectingpatient data recorded in the Computerized Systemfor Management and Monitoring of Drugs of the CEAF,for the base month and year, September 2012. The dataanalyzed were age, gender, International Classificationof Diagnosed Disease, anti-TNF-? dispensed and city ofresidence. Out of 525 RA patients taking anti-TNF-?,384 (73%) were women. Etanercept (57%) was in thehighest number of prescriptions, followed by adalimumab(37%) and infliximab (11%). According to theirhome addresses, Health Management Region I had thehighest prevalence of patients with RA in Pernambuco.The study enabled the profile of patients treated for RAwith anti-TNF-? to be described. This information mayhelp decision making and contribute to improving themanagement of Pharmaceutical Services and public healthpolicies.