Beneficial Effect of Interleukin 1 Inhibition with Anakinra in Adult-onset Still’s Disease. An Open, Randomized, Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of anakinra versus disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) in refractory adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). METHODS: In a 24-week study, 22 patients with AOSD taking prednisolone ≥ 10 mg/day received anakinra (n = 12) or DMARD (n = 10). The primary endpoint was achievement of remission. RESULTS: At 8 and 24 weeks, 7/12 and 6/12 receiving anakinra and 5/10 and 2/10 receiving DMARD achieved remission. Anakinra induced greater improvement in physical health measured by Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36; p < 0.011). During an open-label extension (OLE) of 28 weeks, 7/14 patients taking anakinra and 2/3 taking DMARD were in remission. CONCLUSION: Anakinra induced more beneficial responses than DMARD in patients with AOSD and was favored in the OLE phase. (ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration NCT01033656).