This information sheet has been produced by the Australian Rheumatology Association to help you understand the medicine that has been prescribed for you. It includes important information about:
Please read it carefully and discuss it with your doctor.
Important things to remember
Ustekinumab (brand name: Stelara®) is a medicine used to treat adults with psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease of the joints that is often accompanied by psoriasis. Ustekinumab is also used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, that is chronic (lasts for a long time). Ustekinumab is a monoclonal antibody which is a protein that recognises and binds to other unique proteins. Ustekinumab blocks the action of two proteins in the body that are made by your body's immune system. By blocking the two proteins, ustekinumab may block the inflammatory pathways in psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis.
Ustekinumab is a new medicine used for patients who have severe active psoriatic arthritis. It does not work straight away. It may take a number of weeks for you to notice some relief of joint swelling, pain and stiffness.
Ustekinumab is injected just under the skin (subcutaneously) of the abdomen or thigh. It is best to avoid (if possible) any areas of skin involved with psoriasis. It can be injected by your doctor, nurse, carer or by you. If injecting yourself, be sure to follow the detailed instructions carefully to ensure the best response. It is particularly important to change the injection site each time. Do not shake the vials of ustekinumab at any time. Vigorous shaking may damage the product. Vials that have been shaken vigorously should not be used.
If you forget an injection, make the next injection as soon as you remember and continue to use it as you normally would. Do not inject a double dose to make up for the one you missed. If you have missed more than one dose or are not sure what to do, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Contact your doctor straight away or go to your nearest hospital, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.
Ustekinumab is a solution for injection that comes in a glass vial. Each vial contains 45mg of ustekinumab. The usual dose of ustekinumab is 45mg (the contents of one vial) injected when you start treatment, then again 4 weeks later, and every 12 weeks after that.
Ustekinumab may be taken in combination with other arthritis medicines, including:
Treatment can continue with ustekinumab as long as it is effective and you are not experiencing any adverse effects. Your doctor will tell you how long to continue treatment with ustekinumab. If you see no improvement in your symptoms after 28 weeks of ustekinumab treatment, the treatment will be stopped.
As with most medicines, ustekinumab may cause side effects in some people. You may need medical treatment if you get some side effects. Tell your doctor if you are concerned about any possible side effects.
The most common side effects with ustekinumab are upper respiratory infections such as sinus infection, sore throat or headache. These are usually mild. Tell your doctor if you are concerned, or if the side effects persist for a long time.
Other less common side effects include dental infections, injection site pain or redness, skin rash or itchiness, diarrhoea or nausea, tiredness or depression.
There are some rare but potentially serious side effects with ustekinumab.
Other side effects not listed in this leaflet may also occur. Tell your doctor if you notice any other side effects that you think might be caused by ustekinumab.
Before treatment is started with ustekinumab, your doctor will examine you for tuberculosis (TB). If your doctor feels that you are at risk for TB, you may be treated with medicine for TB before you begin treatment and during treatment with ustekinumab. Because ustekinumab can increase the risk of infection, you will be monitored for TB throughout the treatment.
The information in this sheet has been obtained from various sources and has been reviewed by the Australian Rheumatology Association. It is intended as an educational aid and does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions of the medicines mentioned. This information is not intended as medical advice for individual problems nor for making an individual assessment of the risks and benefits of taking a particular medicine. It can be reproduced in its entirety but cannot be altered without permission from the ARA. The NHMRC publication: How to present the evidence for consumers: preparation of consumer publications (2000) was used as a guide in developing this publication.