title: Anakinra's efficacy is variable in refractory gout: report of ten cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of anakinra for patients with acute gout.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the charts of 10 patients who received anakinra for urate crystal-induced arthritis at the Hospital for Special Surgery since 2007. Demographic information, comorbidities, short-term treatment outcomes, and subsequent flares were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in our study had a high prevalence of comorbidities. All patients received corticosteroids before anakinra treatment. The mean number of anakinra injections was 3.2 per patient (100 mg subcutaneously per day). Six patients had a good response. Three patients had a partial response and 1 patient had no response. Nine patients had documented recurrent flares after discontinuing anakinra (ranging from 3 to 45 days after).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anakinra is a therapeutic option for patients with acute urate crystal-induced arthritis who do not respond to or have a contraindication to traditional treatments. Although a short course of anakinra resulted in favorable outcomes for some of our patients, response rates were poorer in our study than in previously published reports, and relapses were common.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Division, Weill Cornell Medical College, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA. chenk@hss.edu
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Anne R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vasanth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein