Anakinra is a biologic drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is given by daily injection. It is an interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocker. IL-1 is a naturally occurring cytokine, a signaling molecule like hormones, which cause symptoms of RA such as inflammation and cartilage degradation. IL-1 is one of the first cytokines ever described.
A review of the five most recent anakinra trials has shown that the drug reduced stiffness and pain in patients, as well as improved joint function, when compared to placebo. These five trials included 2,876 rheumatoid arthritis patients, about a quarter of which experienced improvements in their symptoms. However, the researchers did find that the improvements in symptoms were not as significant as with other biologics.
Additionally, patients using anakinra experienced more injection site reactions and had a significant rate of serious infections.
According to Dr. Marty Mertens of the University of Minnesota, “We would recommend caution with the use of anakinra for rheumatoid arthritis, especially with the only modest beneficial outcomes compared to other biologic medications studied for rheumatoid arthritis.”
One of the five trials studied the benefits of combining anakinra with another common RA biologic drug, etanercept. This study found no benefit, and in fact found a significant increase in the number of serious adverse events. “On the basis of these results, we recommend that doctors avoid combining biologic medications with anakinra when treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis,” said Mertens.
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Originally posted 2009-01-21 14:55:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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