%P 189-193
%C England
%V 24
%L discovery1567630
%K AA amyloidosis, anakinra, dialysis, interleukin-1, renal transplant
%J Amyloid
%N 3
%A T Lane
%A AD Wechalekar
%A JD Gillmore
%A PN Hawkins
%A HJ Lachmann
%X OBJECTIVE: AA amyloidosis is a serious complication of persistent inflammation, which, untreated will progress to renal failure and death. Effective suppression of the underlying inflammatory disease is the focus of treatment. However, in approximately 20% of cases the underlying condition remains uncertain, presenting a dilemma as to choice of treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of a cohort of 11 patients diagnosed with AA amyloidosis of unknown aetiology, who had been empirically treated with anakinra. RESULTS: In anakinra-responders, median pre-treatment SAA was 74 (IQR 34-190) mg/L, and median on-treatment SAA was 6 (4-16) mg/L (p = .0047), with the response having been maintained for a median on-treatment follow-up of 1.8 (1-7.6) years. Six dialysis patients were treated effectively and safely with 100 mg anakinra three times weekly post-dialysis. Four patients remained well on daily anakinra post-renal transplant. Five anakinra-responders showed regression and three showed stabilization of amyloid load on serial SAP scintigraphy. CONCLUSIONS: This small cohort shows that even in potentially high risk cases with organ damage secondary to AA amyloidosis or in the presence of a renal graft, anakinra, when used appropriately and carefully monitored, has proved remarkably effective and well tolerated. Longer follow-up of this off-label use is required.
%T Safety and efficacy of empirical interleukin-1 inhibition using anakinra in AA amyloidosis of uncertain aetiology
%D 2017
%O This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.