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Anakinra May Help Ease the Pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis

How Does Anakinra Work? | How Should I Take This Medicine? | What Are the Side Effects? | Who Should Not Take Anakinra?

rheumatoid arthritis image Anakinra (Kineret) is FDA-approved to treat adults with pain and swelling caused by moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not found relief from other treatments.

How Does Anakinra Work?

Anakinra blocks the action of the protein interleukin-1 (IL-1). IL-1 is produced in excessive amounts in people with RA. High levels of IL-1 contribute to the joint pain, swelling, and stiffness of RA. By blocking IL-1, anakinra can help reduce these symptoms.

You may need to take anakinra for several weeks before your RA symptoms begin to improve.

How Should I Take This Medicine?

Anakinra is given once a day as an injection. If you are prescribed anakinra, the doctor or nurse will teach you how to give yourself the injection so that you can do it at home.

What Are the Side Effects?

The main side effect of this drug is mild redness, swelling, and pain at the injection site. Other side effects include:

Infections (anakinra suppresses the immune system)

Headache

Nausea

Diarrhea
Flu-like symptoms
Abdominal pain
Low white blood cell count

Who Should Not Take Anakinra?

Anakinra is not for everyone with RA. Talk to your doctor before taking anakinra if you:

Have a fever or think you may have an infection

Are taking certain medicines, including TNF blockers (eg, adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab)

Are allergic to proteins made from bacteria cells or any ingredient in the medicine

Have a latex allergy

Have asthma, HIV or AIDS, or kidney disease
Are pregnant or breastfeeding

If you are prescribed anakinra, there are other precautions that you should take, such as:

Telling your doctor or dentist that you are taking anakinra before you have a procedure
Talking to your doctor before you have a live virus vaccine

If you have tried other RA medicines and have not had any relief from your symptoms, talk to your doctor to find out if anakinra is a good option for you.

US Food and Drug Administration

http://www.fda.gov

Arthritis Foundation

http://www.arthritis.org/

The Arthritis Society

http://www.arthritis.ca/

Canadian Pharmacists Association

http://www.pharmacists.ca/

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Anakinra. PubMed Health website. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000183. Updated February 1, 2009. Accessed September 12, 2012.

Anakinra (Kineret) FDA approved for use in rheumatoloid arthritis. American College of Rheumatology website. Available at: http://www.rheumatology.org/publications/hotline/1101anakinra.asp. Updated November 2001. Accessed September 12, 2012.

Bresnihan, B, Alvara-Gracia, JM, Cobby, M, et al. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist. Arthritis Rheum 1998; 41:2196.

Anakinra. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated December 14, 2011. Accessed September 12, 2012.

Fleischmann, RM, Schechtman, J, Bennett, R, et al. Anakinra, a recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (r-metHuIL-1ra), in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A large, international, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum 2003; 48:927.

Patient information on anakinra. Austrailian Rheumatology Association website. Available at: http://www.rheumatology.org.au/downloads/anakinraCo-Badged15.09.pdf. Updated September 2011. Accessed September 12, 2012.

Last reviewed September 2012 by Brian Randall, MD

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.