Real-world therapeutic strategies in active adult-onset Still's disease: clinical insights from the GIRRCS-AOSD study group.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the therapeutic management of patients with active adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) in a multicentre real-world setting and to provide and compare current real-world treatment strategies with existing recent international recommendations.

METHODS

From January 2022 to December 2023, 173 consecutive patients with active AOSD attending centres participating in the Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca in Reumatologia Clinica e Sperimentale (GIRRCS) AOSD research study group were prospectively enrolled. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and therapeutic strategies prescribed by the treating physicians were systematically recorded. Factors associated with the administration of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), including IL-1 and IL-6 inhibitors, were analysed.

RESULTS

Glucocorticoids were administered in 97.7% of patients. Conventional synthetic DMARDs were prescribed in 58.8% of cases, mainly methotrexate and cyclosporin A. Overall, 43.3% of patients received bDMARDs, predominantly IL-1 and IL-6 inhibitors. Specifically, 33.5% were treated with IL-1 inhibitors, 5.8% with IL-6 inhibitors, and 4.0% with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors. After three months of treatment, 86.7% of patients achieved clinical inactive disease as assessed by the treating physician. Comparing recorded treatment strategies with international recommendations, no compliance was found regarding the use of glucocorticoids, which are recommended to be markedly limited or avoided, and early administration of bDMARDs, which were administered within 3 months in a minority of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This multicentre real-world study outlines current therapeutic approaches for patients with active AOSD and highlights a gap between international treatment recommendations and clinical practice, underscoring the need for further studies to optimize patient management.