Xeljanz vs. Remicade
Are Xeljanz and Remicade the Same Thing?
Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) and Remicade (infliximab) are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Xeljanz is used to treat adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded well to methotrexate, or cannot tolerate it.
Remicade is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and ankylosing spondylitis. Remicade is also used to treat severe or disabling plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin). Remicade is often used when other medicines have not been effective.
Xeljanz and Remicade belong to different drug classes. Xeljanz is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and Remicade is a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) blocker.
Side effects of Xeljanz and Remicade that are similar include headache and stuffy nose.
Side effects of Xeljanz that are different from Remicade include upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, and cold symptoms such as sore throat and runny nose.
Side effects of Remicade that are different from Xeljanz include stomach pain, nausea, sinus pain, skin rash, and flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).
Both Xeljanz and Remicade may interact with other arthritis medications.
Xeljanz may also interact with aprepitant, bosentan, conivaptan, haloperidol, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, ticlopidine, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, hepatitis C medications boceprevir or telaprevir, heart or blood pressure medicines, HIV or AIDS medicines, medications to treat excess stomach acid, medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), seizure medications, and steroids.
Remicade may also interact with abatacept, anakinra, tocilizumab, "biologic" medications (adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, natalizumab, rituximab, and others), and other medicines to treat Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, or psoriasis.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Xeljanz?
Side effects of Xeljanz include:
Common side effects of Xeljanz include:
- upper respiratory tract infections,
- headache,
- diarrhea, and
- cold symptoms such as sore throat, runny or stuffy nose.
Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Xeljanz including:
- feeling very tired,
- yellow skin or eyes (jaundice),
- loss of appetite,
- vomiting,
- dark urine,
- clay-colored stool,
- skin rash,
- clay-colored stools,
- skin rash,
- fever or chills,
- night sweats,
- weight loss,
- changes in bowel habits,
- pain or burning when you urinate,
- sores in your mouth or throat,
- stabbing chest pain,
- shortness of breath,
- cough with mucus or blood, or
- skin redness or swelling.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Remicade?
Common side effects of Remicade include:
- headache,
- stomach pain,
- nausea,
- stuffy nose,
- sinus pain,
- skin rash, or
- flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).
Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Remicade including:
- pain or swelling at injection site,
- joint or muscle pain,
- swelling of ankles or feet,
- easy bruising or bleeding,
- vision changes,
- seizures,
- confusion,
- muscle weakness,
- numbness and tingling of arms or legs,
- butterfly-shaped facial rash,
- chest pain,
- pain/redness/swelling of arms or legs,
- shortness of breath, or
- fast/slow/irregular heartbeat.
What Is Xeljanz?
Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor used to treat adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded well to methotrexate, or cannot tolerate it.
What Is Remicade?
Remicade (infliximab) is a chimeric IgG1k monoclonal antibody used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and ankylosing spondylitis. Remicade is also used to treat severe or disabling plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin). Remicade is often used when other medicines have not been effective. Remicade blocks the action of a protein in your body called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).
What Drugs Interact With Xeljanz?
Xeljanz may interact with aprepitant, bosentan, conivaptan, haloperidol, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, ticlopidine, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, hepatitis C medications boceprevir or telaprevir, heart or blood pressure medicines, HIV or AIDS medicines, medications to treat excess stomach acid, medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other arthritis medications, seizure medications, or steroids. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
What Drugs Interact With Remicade?
Other drugs may interact with Remicade. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use.
How Should Xeljanz be Taken?
The recommended dose of Xeljanz is 5 mg twice daily.
How Should Remicade be Taken?
The dosing of Remicade varies, and depends on the condition being treated.
