The Experience of Interleukin-1 Inhibition in Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Abstract

This study aimed to present our single-center experience of anakinra and canakinumab treatment in patients with Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). This study included 48 patients who were treated with anti-interleukin-1 (anti-IL-1) treatment for at least six months. Initially, all patients with colchicine-resistant or intolerant FMF were received anakinra treatment. Then those resistant to anakinra were given canakinumab treatment. Of the 48 (female/male:29/19) patients using anti-IL-1, their age was 31.2 ± 10.7 years, the duration of drug use was 15±8 months. 30 patients were already using anakinra and 18 patients were using canakinumab. Treatment was found to be switched to canakinumab in 9 patients due to non-adherence to daily injection, and inadequate response to anakinra in 9 patients. After the anti-IL-1 treatment the number of attacks, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen levels, colchicine dose and proteinuria (for all p<0.001) were decreased. Anti-IL-1 treatment is effective for controlling attacks and reducing proteinuria in patients with colchicine-resistant or intolerant FMF. In addition, canakinumab appears to be an alternative treatment option when there is a inconvenience to daily injection or resistance to anakinra treatment. © 2021 OMU.