Infliximab (Intravenous Route)
Drug Information provided by: Micromedex
Description
Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody. It is used to treat Crohn's disease in children (6 years of age and older) and adults who have not been helped by other medicines, and in adult patients who have a type of Crohn's disease where fistulas form. Infliximab is used to treat adults with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, which is a type of arthritis that affects the joints in the spine. It is used to treat adults with psoriatic arthritis, which is a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling of the joints and patches of scaly skin on some areas of the body.
Infliximab is also used to treat adults with ulcerative colitis and chronic severe plaque psoriasis, which is a skin disease with red patches and white scales that doesn't go away.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Powder for Solution
Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of infliximab for the treatment of Crohn's disease in children 6 years of age and older. Safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 6 years.
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of infliximab in children with ulcerative colitis and plaque psoriasis. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of infliximab in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have infections, which may require caution in patients receiving infliximab.
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | B | Animal studies have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus, however, there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR animal studies have shown an adverse effect, but adequate studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus. |
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Abatacept
- Anakinra
- Rilonacept
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Blood problem (low white blood cells, low platelets) or
- Coccidioidomycosis (fungus infection), history of or
- Hepatitis B, active or history of, or
- Histoplasmosis (fungus infection), history of or
- Liver disease or
- Multiple sclerosis, history of or
- Seizures (convulsions), history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Cancer, active or history of, or
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—Use with caution. May increase the chance of getting new cancers.
- Heart disease or
- Heart failure (congestive heart failure) or
- Infection, active
- Tuberculosis, active—Should not use in patients with these conditions.
- Tuberculosis, history of—Use with caution. Patients may need additional tuberculosis therapy.
Proper Use
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine. Infliximab is given through a needle that is placed in one of your veins. This medicine needs to be given slowly. The needle will need to remain in place for at least 2 hours.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
Precautions
It is important that your doctor check your progress or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
Your body's ability to fight infection may be reduced while you are using infliximab. It is very important that you call your doctor at the first signs of any infection. Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine: fever, chills, cough, flu-like symptoms, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Serious skin reactions can occur while you are using this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine: blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin; chills; cough; diarrhea; fever; itching; joint or muscle pain; red skin lesions; sore throat; sores, ulcers, or white spots in your mouth or lips; or unusual tiredness or weakness.
This medicine may increase your chance of having a lupus-like syndrome or a liver disease called autoimmune hepatitis. Check with your doctor right away if you have fever or chills; a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or weakness; joint pain; light-colored stools; nausea and vomiting; a rash on the cheeks or arms that is worse in the sun; upper right stomach pain; or yellow eyes and skin.
A small number of people who have used this medicine have developed certain types of cancer. This is more common in patients who have lung diseases (emphysema, COPD) or are heavy smokers, and in psoriasis patients who have had phototherapy treatment for a long time. Phototherapy treatment is ultraviolet light or sunlight combined with oral medicine to make your skin sensitive to light. Some teenagers and young adults with Crohn's disease also developed a rare type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. Talk with your doctor if you are concerned.
While you are being treated with infliximab, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Live virus vaccines should not be given to patients who are using infliximab. Your child's vaccinations need to be current before he or she begins using infliximab. Be sure to ask your child's doctor if you have any questions about this.
Check with your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of liver problems, such as yellow skin or eyes, dark brown-colored urine, right-sided stomach pain, fever, or severe tiredness.
You will need to have a skin test for tuberculosis before you start using this medicine. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your home has ever had a positive reaction to a tuberculosis test.
It is important to have your heart checked closely if you take infliximab. Call your doctor right away if you have shortness of breath, swelling in the ankles and feet, or a sudden weight gain.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes anakinra (Kineret®) or etanercept (Enbrel®). Using these medicines together with infliximab may increase your chance of having serious side effects.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common- Abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Chills
- Cough
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fever
- Flushing of face
- Headache
- Hives
- Itching
- Muscle pain
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea
- Runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Tightness in chest
- Troubled breathing
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Vomiting
- Wheezing
- Back pain
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Cracks in skin at the corners of mouth
- Diarrhea
- Difficult or painful urination
- Frequent urge to urinate
- High blood pressure
- Low blood pressure
- Pain
- Pain or tenderness around eyes and cheekbones
- Skin rash
- Soreness or irritation of mouth or tongue
- Soreness or redness around fingernails or toenails
- Vaginal burning or itching and discharge
- White patches in mouth and/or on tongue
- Abscess (swollen, red, tender area of infection containing pus)
- Back or side pain
- Black, tarry stools
- Blood in urine or stools
- Bone or joint pain
- Constipation
- Falls
- Feeling of fullness
- General feeling of illness
- Hernia (bulge of tissue through the wall of the abdomen)
- Infection
- Irregular or pounding heartbeat
- Pain in rectum
- Pain spreading from the abdomen to the left shoulder
- Pinpoint red spots on skin
- Stomach pain (severe)
- Swollen or painful glands
- Tendon injury
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Weight loss (unusual)
- Yellow skin and eyes
- Area rash
- Bloody nose
- Burning, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
- Change in mental status
- Clay-colored stools
- Continuing vomiting
- Convulsions
- Dark or bloody urine
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty swallowing
- Fast heartbeat
- General feeling of tiredness or weakness
- Heavier menstrual periods
- Hives
- Hoarseness
- Inability to move arms and legs
- Itching, puffiness, or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- Light colored stools
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of bladder control
- Lower back or side pain
- Muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities
- Noisy breathing
- Painful or difficult urination
- Painless swelling in neck, armpits, or groin
- Pale skin
- Redness, soreness, or itching skin
- Seizures
- Sensation of pins and needles
- Severe abdominal pain
- Severe muscle weakness, sudden and progressing
- Slow or irregular breathing
- Sore throat
- Sores, welting, or blisters
- Stabbing pain
- Stomach pain
- Sudden loss of consciousness
- Sudden numbness and weakness in the arms and legs
- Ulcers, sore, or white spots in mouth
- Unpleasant breath odor
- Upper right abdominal pain
- Vomiting of blood
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Home 
