The efficacy of anakinra in an adolescent with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever

Colchicine is the treatment of choice in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) for the prevention of both attacks and secondary amyloidosis. The overall nonresponder rate is about 5-10%. Anakinra is known to have good effectiveness in a severe autoinflammatory syndrome [chronic infantile neurological cutaneous and articular (CINCA) syndrome] and other recurrent hereditary periodic fevers. Pyrin--the protein involved in FMF--has a role in activating the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1beta. We report the effectiveness of the addition of an IL-1-receptor inhibitor (anakinra) to colchicine in controlling the febrile attacks and acute phase response in an adolescent with FMF resistant to colchicine.