LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Remicade
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Remicade is not without side effects, though. The most common is joint pain in the next couple of days following the treatment. Many patients say that they have flu like symptoms that begin about 1 to 2 weeks after the treatment. A few experience bronchitis. Since this drug is like chemotherapy, most patients do have some hair loss. This may begin as early as the same day of the treatment up to 3 weeks after.
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For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the recommended dose of Remicade is 3 mg/kg. The initial dose of Remicade is followed by subsequent doses at two and six weeks. A maintenance dose of 3 mg/kg is infused every 8 weeks. Some patients who do not respond well with this regimen may shorten the interval between Remicade infusions or increase the dose. It is recommended that methotrexate be taken in combination with Remicade. The combination is effective, while minimizing side effects.
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Remicade has the generic name of infliximab, and is marketed by Centocor, Inc., a division of Johnson and Johnson. Remicade is part of the class of medications known as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. Remicade is designed to block a protein in the body known as tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, which is believed to cause inflammation in the body. The blocking of TNF may reduce inflammation in the body. It is prescribed in order to treat various ailments including auto-immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and gastrointestinal problems including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Remicade has ... been used to treat ankylosing spondylitiis and Psoriatic Arthritis.
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The warning about liver damage and pneumonia comes just months after Centocor sent another letter to doctors warning that patients who take Remicade® may have an increased chance of developing the blood cancer lymphoma. In one study, the rate of lymphoma was three times higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients taking Remicade® than in the general population. See Remicade® May Increase Lymphoma Risk for more details.
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Some of the common side effects of Remicade may include stomach pain, headache, rash, back pain, and respiratory infections, including sinus infections. Remicade is linked to some very harmful side effects including serious infections, heart failure, blood problems, cancer, nervous system disorders, and liver problems. Medications that affect the immune system like Remicade may make the patient more susceptible to infection including very serious infections including tuberculosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... referred to as the CDC, 12 cases of tuberculosis were reported between January of 2002 and August 2003, in patients who had used Remicade or Enbrel. Two of the twelve patients who were diagnosed with tuberculosis died after undergoing treatment for the lung disease. Doctors who prescribe Remicade have been advised to test patients for tuberculosis before beginning Remicade treatment.
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Remicade is unique among available anti-TNF biologic therapies. Unlike self-administered therapies that require patients to inject themselves frequently, Remicade is the only anti-TNF biologic administered directly by caregivers in the clinic or office setting. In RA, CD, and psoriatic arthritis, Remicade is a two-hour infusion administered every eight weeks, following a standard induction regimen that requires treatment at weeks 0, 2 and 6. As a result, Remicade patients may require as few as six treatments each year. In AS, Remicade is a two-hour infusion (5 mg/kg) administered every six weeks, following a standard induction regimen that requires treatment at weeks 0, 2 and 6. The safety and efficacy of Remicade have been well established in clinical trials over the past 12 years and through commercial experience with over a half a million patients treated worldwide.
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Remicade