Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic symmetrical erosive synovitis and extra-articular manifestations, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), whose treatment is nowadays challenging due to high infectious risk and possible pulmonary iatrog...

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Main Authors: Caterina Vacchi, Andreina Manfredi, Giulia Cassone, Stefania Cerri, Giovanni Della Casa, Dario Andrisani, Carlo Salvarani, Marco Sebastiani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6652845
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author Caterina Vacchi
Andreina Manfredi
Giulia Cassone
Stefania Cerri
Giovanni Della Casa
Dario Andrisani
Carlo Salvarani
Marco Sebastiani
author_facet Caterina Vacchi
Andreina Manfredi
Giulia Cassone
Stefania Cerri
Giovanni Della Casa
Dario Andrisani
Carlo Salvarani
Marco Sebastiani
author_sort Caterina Vacchi
collection DOAJ
description Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic symmetrical erosive synovitis and extra-articular manifestations, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), whose treatment is nowadays challenging due to high infectious risk and possible pulmonary iatrogenic toxicity. Janus kinase inhibitors, namely, tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib, are the latest drug class for the treatment of RA with a good safety profile. We present the case of a patient with RA-ILD successfully treated with tofacitinib. A 52-year-old man was referred to our multidisciplinary clinic for rheumatic and pulmonary diseases for an active erosive seropositive RA and progressive ILD. Previous treatments were GC, hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, etanercept, withdrawn after ILD detection, and tocilizumab, discontinued due to relapsing infections. After our evaluation, we proposed rituximab in addition to low-dose GC and hydroxychloroquine, ineffective on joint involvement. Therefore, we proposed tofacitinib which allowed us to control joint involvement, stabilize ILD improving respiratory symptoms, and manage the frequent infectious episodes that occurred initially. The short half-life and rapid-acting of tofacitinib are two helpful characteristics regarding this aspect. Despite limited data from randomized trials and real-life, tofacitinib could represent a safe therapeutic option for RA-ILD patients. Longitudinal studies are required to confirm this encouraging report.
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spelling doaj-art-1f6d2d05656c4051b770bc12a9b72db12025-08-20T03:54:36ZengWileyCase Reports in Medicine1687-96271687-96352021-01-01202110.1155/2021/66528456652845Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid ArthritisCaterina Vacchi0Andreina Manfredi1Giulia Cassone2Stefania Cerri3Giovanni Della Casa4Dario Andrisani5Carlo Salvarani6Marco Sebastiani7PhD Program in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyPhD Program in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRespiratory Diseases Unit and Centre for Rare Lung Diseases, University of Modena Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRadiology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyPhD Program in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41125, ItalyRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic symmetrical erosive synovitis and extra-articular manifestations, including interstitial lung disease (ILD), whose treatment is nowadays challenging due to high infectious risk and possible pulmonary iatrogenic toxicity. Janus kinase inhibitors, namely, tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib, are the latest drug class for the treatment of RA with a good safety profile. We present the case of a patient with RA-ILD successfully treated with tofacitinib. A 52-year-old man was referred to our multidisciplinary clinic for rheumatic and pulmonary diseases for an active erosive seropositive RA and progressive ILD. Previous treatments were GC, hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, etanercept, withdrawn after ILD detection, and tocilizumab, discontinued due to relapsing infections. After our evaluation, we proposed rituximab in addition to low-dose GC and hydroxychloroquine, ineffective on joint involvement. Therefore, we proposed tofacitinib which allowed us to control joint involvement, stabilize ILD improving respiratory symptoms, and manage the frequent infectious episodes that occurred initially. The short half-life and rapid-acting of tofacitinib are two helpful characteristics regarding this aspect. Despite limited data from randomized trials and real-life, tofacitinib could represent a safe therapeutic option for RA-ILD patients. Longitudinal studies are required to confirm this encouraging report.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6652845
spellingShingle Caterina Vacchi
Andreina Manfredi
Giulia Cassone
Stefania Cerri
Giovanni Della Casa
Dario Andrisani
Carlo Salvarani
Marco Sebastiani
Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Case Reports in Medicine
title Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_full Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_fullStr Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_full_unstemmed Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_short Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Severe Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_sort tofacitinib for the treatment of severe interstitial lung disease related to rheumatoid arthritis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/6652845
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