Titre du document / Document title

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with imatinib mesylate: clinical improvement in three refractory cases

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

EKLUND Kari K. ⁽¹⁾ ; JOENSUU Heikki ⁽²⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, FINLANDE
⁽²⁾ Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, FINLANDE

Résumé / Abstract

BACKGROUND. Imatinib mesylate is an inhibitor of a few tyrosine kinases including KIT, which is an important growth factor receptor of mast cells. AIM. To study the efficacy and safety of imatinib in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. METHOD. Three patients with severe rheumatoid were treated with imatinib for 12 weeks. The number of tender and swollen joints, patient-assessed disease activity and pain as assessed by a visual analogue scale, a health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were used as the primary outcome measures. RESULTS. All outcome measures improved. The swollen joint count decreased in all patients, and the tender joint count in two of the three patients. The patients reported less pain and disease activity, and the HAQ scores improved. Serum CRP and blood ESR improved in two patients. One patient interrupted therapy due to a rash. CONCLUSIONS. Imatinib mesylate may have considerable anti-rheumatic efficacy. The mechanism of action is not known, but one possible target for the action of imatinib is inhibition of the KIT receptor on mast cells.

Revue / Journal Title

Annals of medicine   ISSN 0785-3890 

Source / Source

2003, vol. 35, n^o5, pp. 362-367 [6 page(s) (article)] (24 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Taylor & Francis, Basingstoke, ROYAUME-UNI  (1989) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Autoimmune disease ; Immunopathology ; Inflammatory joint disease ; Diseases of the osteoarticular system ; Chronic ; Human ; Symptomatology ; Treatment efficiency ; Chemotherapy ; Treatment ; Rheumatoid arthritis ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Maladie autoimmune ; Immunopathologie ; Rhumatisme inflammatoire ; Système ostéoarticulaire pathologie ; Imatinib mesylase ; Chronique ; Homme ; Symptomatologie ; Efficacité traitement ; Chimiothérapie ; Traitement ; Polyarthrite rhumatoïde ;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Enfermedad autoinmune ; Inmunopatología ; Reumatismo inflamatorio ; Sistema osteoarticular patología ; Crónico ; Hombre ; Sintomatología ; Eficacia tratamiento ; Quimioterapia ; Tratamiento ; Poliartritis reumatoidea ;

Mots-clés d'auteur / Author Keywords

imatinib mesylate ; mast cell ; rheumatoid arthritis ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 14397, 35400011261139.0090