What is Adalimumab?

An example of Adalimumab

Adalimumab is used in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis and active psoriatic arthritis. Also used for Crohn's disease in patients with inadequate response to conventional treatment.

Reported Purpose & Perceived Effectiveness

Reasons and Perceived effectiveness
Perceived Effectiveness
Purpose # of patients # of patients with evaluations
Major
Moderate
Slight
None
Can’t tell
151 53 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none Efficacy_cant_tell
63 20 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none Efficacy_cant_tell
62 16 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none Efficacy_cant_tell
31 6 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight
27 11 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none
6 1 Efficacy_cant_tell

See all 285 patients currently taking Adalimumab

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Reported Side Effects

Side effects as an overall problem

Severe
11
Moderate
17
Mild
29
None
42

Commonly reported side effects, conditions, and hospitalizations associated with Adalimumab

7
5
Hospitalization 5
3
3
3
See all 70 reported side effects See top 6 reported side effects

Reported Dosages

Frequently reported dosages based on patients currently taking Adalimumab. See all 15 dosages

  40mg/0.8mL as needed 20 mg/0.4 mL every other week 20 mg/0.4 mL weekly 40 mg/0.8 mL every other week 40 mg/0.8 mL weekly 2 x 40 mg/0.8 mL every other week 40 mg/0.8 mL daily 40 mg/0.8 mL one time 2 x 40 mg/0.8 mL one time 4 x 40 mg/0.8 mL one time
  3 Number of Patients: 3 17 Number of Patients: 17 3 Number of Patients: 3 223 Number of Patients: 223 39 Number of Patients: 39 5 Number of Patients: 5 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 1 Number of Patients: 1 2 Number of Patients: 2  

Reported Stop Reasons

Why Patients Stopped Taking Adalimumab (multiple reasons could be selected)
Reason # Patients Percentage of patients
Did not seem to work 55   Did not seem to work: 54%
Side effects too severe 36   Side effects too severe: 35%
Doctor's advice 23   Doctor's advice: 23%
Other 17   Other: 17%
Expense 7   Expense: 7%
Not indicated 4   Not indicated: 4%
Personal research 3   Personal research: 3%
Change in health plan coverage 3   Change in health plan coverage: 3%
Course of treatment ended 2   Course of treatment ended: 2%

See all 101 patients who’ve stopped taking Adalimumab

Currently Taking Adalimumab

A bar graph

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more

Stopped Taking Adalimumab

A bar graph

0-1 month 1-3 months 3-6 months 6 months-1year 1-2 years 2 years or more

Reported Adherence, Burden & Cost See details from patient evaluations

Adherence

Taking treatment as prescribed

Adherence of Adalimumab

Always
87 88%
Usually
9 9%
Sometimes
1 1%
Never
2 2%

Burden

Difficulty being on treatment

Burden of Adalimumab

Very
6 6%
Somewhat
25 25%
A little
26 26%
Not at all
42 42%

Cost

Paid out of pocket

Cost of Adalimumab

$200+
7 10%
$100-199
1 1%
$50-99
6 9%
$25-49
4 6%
< $25
51 74%

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10 patient evaluations for Adalimumab

Purpose: Ankylosing Spondylitis (Started Jun 15, 2009)
Date Dosage Perceived effectiveness Side Effects Adherence Burden
Feb 28, 2013 40 mg/0.8 mL Every Other Week Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Major NoneNoneNoneNoneNone AlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlways SomewhatSomewhatSomewhatSomewhatSomewhat
May 15, 2012 40 mg/0.8 mL Every Other Week Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Led_efficacy_4Major NoneNoneNoneNoneNone AlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlways VeryVeryVeryVeryVery
Date
Feb 28, 2013
Advice & Tips
Adalimumab was amazing for my Ankylosing SPondylitis - life changing. Unfortunately after 3 years my body produced anti-bodies which resisted the drug. I tried re-starting after 3 months, still didn't work.
Cost
< $25 monthly
Date
May 15, 2012
Advice & Tips
Taking Adalimumab eradicated almost all symptoms of AS for about 3 years. It took me from a really low point, in a lot of pain and depression, to feeling great, getting on with work and even running a couple of half-marathons to raisemoney for Arthritis Research UK. 3 great years, after which the efficacy started to wear off because my immune system started resisting it. This varies between people - for some it doesn't work at all, for others it works for decades.
Cost
< $25 monthly
  • Icon_thumb_off 0 helpful marks
  • LoriRuff
    Data Quality: 1 star
    • Sex: Female
    • Age: 50y
    Condition: RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) 3 additional condition(s)
    Quality of Life:
    • Mental: Moderate
    • Physical: Moderate
    I am: Bad
  • 48434-thumb
  • See LoriRuff's full Adalimumab history
Purpose: RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) (Started May 17, 2012)
Date Dosage Perceived effectiveness Side Effects Adherence Burden
Jun 20, 2012   Led_efficacy_3Led_efficacy_3Led_efficacy_3Led_defaultModerate ModerateModerateModerateModerateModerate AlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlways A littleA littleA littleA littleA little
Jun 15, 2012 20 mg/0.4 mL Every Other Week Led_efficacy_2Led_efficacy_2Led_defaultLed_defaultSlight SevereSevereSevereSevereSevere AlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlways SomewhatSomewhatSomewhatSomewhatSomewhat
Date
Jun 20, 2012
Advice & Tips
Face/Neck rash and rough skin started a day after my third dose, one month after starting on the drug. Significantly improved swelling of knees, hips, ankles, and wrists... perhaps elbows as well. DON'T TAKE COLD! Don't use rubbing alcohol in place of alcohol swipes.
Date
Jun 15, 2012
Advice & Tips
The rash started the day after my third shot and progressed for weeks before it started calming down.
  • Icon_thumb_off 0 helpful marks
  • Photogal
    Data Quality: 1 star
    • Sex: Female
    • Age: 51y
    Condition: RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) 1 additional condition(s)
    Quality of Life:
    • Mental: Moderate
    • Physical: Moderate
    I am: Neutral
  • 48010-thumb
  • See Photogal's full Adalimumab history
Purpose: RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) (Started Nov 15, 2011)
Date Dosage Perceived effectiveness Side Effects Adherence Burden
Mar 01, 2012 40 mg/0.8 mL Every Other Week Led_efficacy_2Led_efficacy_2Led_defaultLed_defaultSlight SevereSevereSevereSevereSevere AlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlwaysAlways Not at allNot at allNot at allNot at allNot at all
  • Icon_thumb_off 0 helpful marks
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What is adalimumab?

Adalimumab reduces the effects of a substance in the body that can cause inflammation.

Adalimumab is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. It is also used to treat Crohn’s disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

Adalimumab may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.


Precautions

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to adalimumab, or if you are also being treated with anakinra (Kineret).

Before using adalimumab, tell your doctor if you have ever had tuberculosis, if anyone in your household has tuberculosis, or if you have recently traveled to an area where tuberculosis is common.

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication. Before using adalimumab, tell your doctor if you have:

  • an active or recent infection;
  • open sores or skin wounds;
  • hepatitis B;
  • congestive heart failure;
  • lupus;
  • an allergy to latex rubber;
  • a disease that affects the nerves or muscles, such as multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome;
  • if you have recently been vaccinated with BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin); or
  • if you are scheduled to receive any vaccines.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Your name may need to be listed on a Humira pregnancy registry when you start using this medication.

It is not known whether adalimumab passes into breast milk. Do not use adalimumab without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Using this medication may increase your risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast, colon, prostate, or lung cancer, lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), or melanoma (a tumor that usually affects the skin). This risk may be greater in children and young adults. You may also develop an autoimmune disorder such as a lupus-like syndrome. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk.

Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.

Do not receive a "live” vaccine while you are being treated with adalimumab.

Avoid injecting adalimumab into skin that is bruised, red, tender, or hard.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of adalimumab is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.

Use the medication as soon as you remember, and then go back to your regular injection schedule. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with adalimumab. Stop using adalimumab and call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as:

  • fever, sweating, chills, tired feeling;
  • feeling short of breath;
  • cough, sore throat; or
  • flu symptoms, weight loss.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these other serious side effects:

  • shortness of breath with swelling of your ankles or feet;
  • confusion, seizure (convulsions);
  • pain or burning when you urinate;
  • chest pain, ongoing cough, coughing up blood;
  • easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, unusual weakness;
  • numbness or tingly feeling, weakness in your legs;
  • jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
  • red, purple, or scaly skin rash, hair loss, joint or muscle pain, mouth sores;
  • joint pain or swelling with fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, vomiting, unusual thoughts or behavior, and/or seizure (convulsions); or
  • patchy skin color, red spots, or a butterfly-shaped skin rash over your cheeks and nose (worsens in sunlight).

Less serious side effects may include:

  • headache;
  • stuffy nose, sinus pain;
  • nausea, stomach pain; or
  • pain, redness, itching, swelling, or bleeding where you injected the medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Interactions

There may be other drugs that can interact with adalimumab. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Other Names

Humira, Humira Pen, Humira Pen Crohn's Disease Starter Package, adalimumab, and Humira Pen Psoriasis Starter Package

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Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04

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