Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra) treatment in patients with systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis or adult onset Still disease: preliminary experience in France.

Lequerré T, Quartier P, Rosellini D, Alaoui F, De Bandt M, Mejjad O, Kone-Paut I, Michel M, Dernis E, Khellaf M, Limal N, Job-Deslandre C, Fautrel B, Le Loët X, Sibilia J, ,

Rheumatology Department, Rouen University Hospital & Inserm 905, 76031 Rouen, France. thierry.lequerre@univ-rouen.fr

BACKGROUND: Anakinra treatment has been reported to be effective in some patients with systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SoJIA) or adult-onset Still disease (AoSD). OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and the safety of anakinra treatment in SoJIA and AoSD. METHODS: SoJIA and AoSD patients were treated with anakinra (1-2 mg/kg/day in children, 100 mg/day in adults); we analysed its effect on fever, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, numbers of swollen and tender joints, the assessment of disease activity (by physician and parent/patient) and pain (by parent/patient), and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) pediatric core set criteria for JIA activity. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients were included, 20 with SoJIA and 15 with AoSD. Their mean age (range) at the onset of treatment was 12.4 (3-23) and 38.1 (22-62) years, respectively; disease duration was 7.0 (1-16) and 7.8 (2-27) years, respectively. Active arthritis was present in all cases but one. Of the 20 SoJIA patients, 5 achieved ACR 50% improvement in symptoms (ACR50) response criteria at 6 months. Steroid dose had been decreased by 15% to 78% in 10 cases. A total of 11 of the 15 AoSD patients achieved at least a 50% improvement for all disease markers (mean follow-up: 17.5 (11-27) months). Steroids had been stopped in two cases and the dose was decreased by 45% to 95% in 12 patients. Two patients stopped anakinra due to severe skin reaction, and two patients due to infection: one visceral leishmaniasis and one varicella. CONCLUSION: Anakinra was effective in most AoSD patients, but less than half SoJIA patients achieved a marked and sustained improvement.

Published 22 February 2008 in Ann Rheum Dis, 67(3): 302-8.
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