title: Biologics in relapsing polychondritis: a literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no standardized therapeutic protocol for relapsing polychondritis (RP). Emergence of biologics holds much hope in the management of this connective tissue disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of biologics in patients with active RP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of the literature using PubMed was performed through December 2010. MeSH terms and keywords were used relating to RP and biologics. All papers reporting the efficacy and/or safety of biologics in RP were selected. Reference lists of included papers were also searched.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All publications relate to case series or isolated case reports. No randomized controlled trial has been performed. Thirty papers that included 62 patients were published. These patients were treated with TNFα blockers (n = 43), rituximab (n = 11), anakinra (n = 5), tocilizumab (n = 2), and abatacept (n = 1). The endpoint of treatment differs from 1 publication to the other and therefore makes the comparison of efficacy among the various biologics difficult. Biologics were effective in 27 patients, partially effective in 5 patients, and not effective in 29 patients. Safety appeared to be good. However, 4 deaths were recorded (2 sepsis, 1 postoperatively after aortic aneurysm surgery, and 1 after accidental dislocation of the tracheostomy device).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The experience with biologics in RP is very limited and their real efficacy and indications need to be better defined. Randomized controlled trials, although difficult to perform because of the rarity of RP, are needed to determine the place of biologics in the treatment strategy of this orphan disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Henri Mondor Hospital, University Paris XII, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kemta Lekpa
authors.forename: Virginia B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chevalier
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000628:therapy*; D039781:PubMed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha