Enbrel and Weight Gain

Concomitant medications, such as glucocorticoids, are strongly associated with weight gain, particularly in the first 9 months of treatment, according to the American College of Rheumatology 1, 2
Other weight-promoting medications, including gabapentin, pregabalin, amitriptyline, and paroxetine, may also contribute to weight gain in patients taking Enbrel 3, 4

Clinical Monitoring Recommendations

The American College of Rheumatology recommends documenting baseline weight before initiating etanercept therapy 1
If weight gain occurs (>2 kg in a month or ≥7% increase from baseline), the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests systematically reviewing all concurrent medications for weight-promoting agents 7
The Gastroenterology society recommends evaluating for glucocorticoid use, as these are the medications most likely to cause weight gain in rheumatologic conditions 8