Tocilizumab in the treatment of mixed connective tissue disease and overlap syndrome in children

Natalia Cabrera (1) , Agnes Duquesne (1) , Marine Desjonquères (1) , Jean-Paul Larbre (2) , Jean-Christophe Lega (2, 3) , Nicole Fabien (4) , Alexandre Belot (5, 1)

1 Service de néphrologie, rhumatologie et dermatologie pédiatriques [Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, HCL]
2 CHLS - Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud [CHU - HCL]
3 LBBE - Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558
4 Service d'immunologie [Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud - HCL]
5 Réponse immunitaire innée dans les maladies infectieuses et auto-immunes – Innate immunity in infectious and autoimmune diseases

Arthritis is one of the main manifestations of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and overlap syndrome in children and can be responsible for functional disability. We report on 2 children with arthritis that were dramatically improved by a treatment with interleukin-6 (IL-6) blockers in the context of connective tissue disease. However, in both cases, other systemic autoimmune symptoms were not modified by the treatment and autoantibodies tend to increase, suggesting a differential effect of IL-6 inhibition on articular inflammation and systemic autoimmunity.

Mots clés: Autoimmune Diseases; Cytokines; Dermatomyositis; Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Domaines: Immunologie; Bactériologie; Virologie

Natalia Cabrera, Agnes Duquesne, Marine Desjonquères, Jean-Paul Larbre, Jean-Christophe Lega, et al.. Tocilizumab in the treatment of mixed connective tissue disease and overlap syndrome in children. RMD Open : Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases, 2016, 2 (2), pp.e000271. ⟨10.1136/rmdopen-2016-000271⟩. ⟨hal-01911117⟩