To investigate the effect of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocking agent, anakinra, in patients
with treatment-resistant inflammatory myopathies.
Patients and methods: Fifteen patients with refractory polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis
(DM), or inclusion body myositis (IBM) were treated with 100 mg anakinra subcutaneously per
day during 12 months. Outcome measures included myositis disease activity score with
improvement defined according to The International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies
Group (IMACS) and for muscle performance the functional index of myositis (FI). In addition
repeat muscle biopsies were performed