Refractory adult-onset Still disease treated by tocilizumab combined with methotrexate: A STROBE-compliant article

Some patients have poor response to adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) traditional treatment, which easily recurs during the reduction of prednisone. We observed the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab combined with methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of refractory AOSD, and to explore the possibility of reducing the dosage of tocilizumab after disease control.A total of 28 refractory AOSD cases who had an inadequate response to corticosteroids combined with at least 1 traditional immunosuppressive agent, and even large-dose prednisone could not relieve their conditions after recurrence, were selected in this study. They were treated with tocilizumab (intravenous 8 mg/kg) combined with MTX (oral 12.5 mg once a week). In detail, tocilizumab was firstly given every 4 weeks and after 6-month remission, it was then given every 8 weeks. Some items including body temperature, skin rash, joint swelling and pain, hepatosplenomegaly, blood routine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum ferritin, and dosage of prednisone were observed before treatment as well as 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after treatment. The adverse reactions occurring during the treatment were recorded.The body temperature was normal, the skin rash as well as joint swelling and pain disappeared, and laboratory indexes including CRP, ESR, white blood cell, neutrophilic granulocyte, platelet, hemoglobin, and ferritin were significantly improved after 8-week treatment (all P < .05). The clinical symptoms and laboratory indexes above mentioned were continuously improved 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after treatment. The mean dosage of prednisone was reduced from 71.4 ± 20.7 mg/day to 55.0 ± 11.1 mg/day after 2-week treatment, and to 3.3 ± 2.1 mg/day after 48-week treatment (all P < .05). Prednisone was discontinued in 5 cases after 36-week treatment and in 7 cases after 48-week treatment. No serious adverse reactions occurred during the treatment.Tocilizumab can rapidly and markedly improve the clinical symptoms and laboratory indexes and contribute to reduction and discontinuation of prednisone in refractory AOSD. The patients' conditions are stable after reduction or discontinuation of prednisone and the tocilizumab possesses good safety.

Adult-onset Still's Disease as a Differential Diagnosis in Prolonged Fever: Diagnosis and Treatment Experience

Adult onset Still's disease is a rare systemic disease that may involve many organs and may mimick many disease such as infection, autoimmune disease, and also malignancy. The diagnostic approach and treatment strategies have not been well established due to its rarity; however, there are some diagnostic criteria that may help. We present a case of 36-year old man who experienced high prolonged fever which firstly thought as infection. He also had unilateral wrist and knee joint pain and maculopapular rash. Laboratory examination showed high leukocytes count with elevated polymorphonuclear neutrophil count, high platelet count, high ferritin level, and negative results of many infection markers (typhoid antibody, procalcitonin, malaria test, blood culture, urine culture, IgM pneumonia, ASTO, syphilis test, antiHIV, HBsAg, antiHCV, etc). Chest X-ray, joint X-ray, ultrasonography, and echocardiography showed normal result. The patient was then diagnosed with Adult-onset Still's disease and received intravenous methylprednisolone and the fever was disappeared in 3 days. Six months later the arthralgia appeared again, methotrexate was administered and the pain was then relieved.

Adult-onset Still's disease biological treatment strategy may depend on the phenotypic dichotomy

OBJECTIVES

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) phenotype appears to be dichotomized in systemic or chronic articular forms. As biologicals and particularly interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 blockers play a more and more prominent role in the treatment, their place requires clarification. This study aimed to identify factors predictive of treatment response to anakinra or tocilizumab and investigate whether the choice of biotherapy and delays in the initiation of biotherapy influenced the likelihood of steroid discontinuation.

METHODS

A multicenter exploratory retrospective study included all patients diagnosed with AOSD and receiving biological treatments in three regional hospitals until 2018. Clinical and biological characteristics at diagnosis and treatment-related data were collected. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used to perform univariate analysis for quantitative variables, and Fisher's exact test was used for qualitative variables.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients were included. All but one patient achieved remission with either anakinra or tocilizumab. Treatment responses depended on disease phenotype: the presence of arthritis and a chronic articular phenotype were associated with a substantial response to tocilizumab with p = 0.0009 (OR 36 [2.6-1703]) and p = 0.017 (OR 10 [1.22-92.6]), respectively, whereas the systemic form and the absence of arthritis were associated with a substantial response to anakinra with p = 0.0009 (OR 36 [2.6-1703]) and p = 0.017 (OR 10 [1.22-92.6]), respectively. Tocilizumab increased the likelihood of corticosteroid withdrawal (p = 0.029) regardless of delays in initiation or when it was initiated relative to other treatment in the overall therapeutic strategy.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the therapeutic implications of the phenotypic dichotomy of AOSD and should help us better codify AOSD treatment.

Association between fever pattern and clinical manifestations of adult-onset Still's disease: unbiased analysis using hierarchical clustering

OBJECTIVES

To perform unbiased analysis of fever patterns and to investigate their association with clinical manifestations and outcome of patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

METHODS

AOSD patients who were treated as in-patients from 2004 through 2015 were grouped according to 24-hour body temperature (BT) by hierarchical clustering using a Euclidean distance metric with complete linkage. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the groups were then examined.

RESULTS

Hierarchical clustering partitioned 70 AOSD patients into three distinct groups. Group 1 (n=14) had the highest mean BT (38.1± 0.4°C) and the widest variation in BT (2.7±0.9°C). Group 2 (n=35) had a lower mean BT (37.4±0.3°C) and a smaller variation (2.1±0.7°C). Group 3 (n=21) had the lowest mean BT (36.7±0.3°C) and the smallest variation (1.5±0.6°C). Clinical features and extent of organ involvement did not differ significantly between groups. However, Group 1 had lower platelet counts and higher lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin levels, and prothrombin time than the other groups. In addition, Group 1 exhibited higher risk of having a macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and tended to require more intense treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressant to achieve clinical remission as compared to other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Hierarchical clustering identified three distinct fever patterns in patients with AOSD. Higher BT was associated with wider variations in diurnal temperature, higher risk of developing MAS, more intense treatment, and longer time to clinical remission, suggesting that fever pattern is a prognostic factor for AOSD.

Interleukin-18 as a diagnostic marker of adult-onset Still's disease in older patients: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Adult onset Still's disease is a systemic auto-inflammatory condition of unknown etiology characterized by intermittent spiking high fever, an evanescent salmon-pink or erythematous maculopapular skin rash, arthralgia or arthritis, and leukocytosis. Recently, a high level of interleukin-18 has been reported as a new characteristic marker. On the other hand no reports have been published on high interleukin-18 as a marker in older patients. We report a case of adult onset Still's disease in an older patient successfully treated with steroids in which interleukin-18 was a useful marker of disease activity.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 66-year-old Asian woman presented to our hospital with fever and arthralgia. We diagnosed adult onset Still's disease based on Yamaguchi criteria and a history of a high spiking fever, salmon-colored rash, and bilateral pain to shoulders, knees, and wrists. In this case, a high serum level of interleukin-18 was a diagnostic parameter. Administration of 40 mg of prednisolone followed by subcutaneous administration of 200 mg cyclosporine daily resulted in a dramatic resolution of our patient's febrile episodes 2 months after admission. Prednisolone was tapered to 5 mg/day every 2 weeks and cyclosporine 200 mg/day was continued. Her serum interleukin-18 level was prominently decreased, and she was discharged 3 months after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum interleukin-18 level may be a good diagnostic biomarker to monitor adult onset Still's disease activity in older patients, measuring levels in both the acute and convalescent phases.

A case of adult onset Still's disease with mutations of the MEFV gene who is partially responsive to colchicine

RATIONALE

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) have overlapping features, and are categorized as being on the spectrum of autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs). FMF is more prevalent in the Mediterranean region but rarely, described in the Chinese population.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present an interesting case of a Han Chinese AOSD patient with episodic fever, wheals, and polyarthritis for 2 years.

DIAGNOSIS

Sequencing analysis found exon 2 mutations of the MEFV gene (c.329T>C [L110P], and c.442G>C [E148Q]).

INTERVENTION

Her arthritis was well-controlled with colchicine treatment, but fever, and rashes were not.

OUTCOMES

She eventually received tocilizumab, in addition to colchicine, and her symptoms completely disappeared.

LESSONS

MEFV mutations may exist in AOSD patients, and treatment with colchicine might be helpful in such patients.

Severe Adult-onset Still Disease with Constrictive Pericarditis and Pleuritis That Was Successfully Treated with Tocilizumab in Addition to Corticosteroids and Cyclosporin A

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by fever, arthritis and rash. Corticosteroids represent a promising therapeutic option for AOSD; however, some resistant cases require immunosuppressants and biologic agents. We herein report the case of a 29-year-old Japanese man with severe AOSD, accompanied by constrictive pericarditis (CP) and pleuritis. Although 2 courses of steroid pulse and subsequent high-dose of prednisolone and cyclosporine A improved the patient's CP and pleuritis, his fever and inflammatory responses persisted. Tocilizumab (TCZ) was added to his treatment, which resulted in a rapid remission. This case suggests the usefulness of TCZ in the treatment of severe AOSD with CP and pleuritis.

[Remission of steroid-resistant Stills disease treated with anakinra, evidenced by FDG-PET/CT examination: case report]

After elimination of infectious causes, neoplastic causes and the systemic autoimmune disease of connective tissue, a patient with high fevers over 39 °C was diagnosed with Stills disease. High doses of prednisone led to resolution of symptoms, however after reducing the doses of prednisone to 15 mg, high fevers over 39 °C returned, as well as joint pains. The high doses of prednisone led to decompensation of diabetes mellitus even with 4 daily insulin dosages. Therefore it was proceeded to regular subcutaneous administration of anakinra once a day. Anakinra enabled the reduction of prednisone to as much as the currently administered 2.5 mg a day, but it has not so far allowed for removing glucocorticoids from the treatment completely. Activity of the disease is shown by the findings within the FDG-PET/CT examination. At the time of maximum activity of the disease there was distinct lymphadenopathy with pathological accumulation of FDG visible as well as increased accumulation of FDG in the hematopoietic bone marrow. As the disease activity decreased, the size of nodules regressed and FDG accumulation in both the lymphatic nodes and bone marrow declined. FDG-PET/CT is a suitable method for monitoring the activity of Stills disease.Key words: anakinra - Adult-onset Stills disease.

Adult onset Still's disease with dermatopathic lymphadenopathy

Adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder involving multiple systems. The symptoms mimic those of lymphomas, therefore, the diagnosis of lymphoma needs to be excluded prior to establishing the diagnosis of AOSD. Another similar condition is dermatopathic lymphadenopathy (DL). In DL, the histopathological appearance of lymph node biopsy may also mimic AOSD. The DL is associated with several systemic pathologies, such as malignant lymphomas, and rarely AOSD. We present a case of a 43-year-old male presented with 3 months history of fatigue, fever, and lymphadenopathy. Initial work-up satisfactorily met the criteria for diagnosis of AOSD. But considering the well-known association of DL with hematological malignancies, detailed pathological studies were considered, including tumor markers to rule out the possibility of malignancy. The patient was started on steroids and showed remarkable recovery within 2 weeks. Evaluation of malignant lymphomas in a patient with DL is important, in order to diagnose AOSD and rule out hematological malignancy.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio could be a good diagnostic marker and predictor of relapse in patients with adult-onset Still's disease: A STROBE-compliant retrospective observational analysis

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is the proportion of absolute neutrophil count to lymphocytes on routine complete blood count (CBC) tests, and has been studied as a simple marker of the systemic inflammatory response. This study was performed to investigate whether the NLR could be used as a tool to diagnose and predict prognosis in cases of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).We retrospectively reviewed 164 patients with suspected AOSD. Among 164 patients with suspected AOSD, 37 patients received another diagnosis (such as viral infection) and were compared with the 127 patients who received a diagnosis of AOSD. Laboratory tests including CBCs, ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and the NLR were evaluated.AOSD patients showed higher neutrophil counts, lower lymphocyte counts, higher NLRs, and higher levels of ferritin, ESR, and CRP than non-AOSD patients (all P < .001). In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the NLR for diagnosis of AOSD, the area under the curve (AUC) was highest at 0.967 (95% CI = 0.940-0.993) with a cutoff value of 3.08. The cutoff value showed the greatest sensitivity (91.7%), specificity (68.4%), and AUC value (0.967) as a diagnostic tool for AOSD. The NLR and treatment appeared to be significant prognostic factors for relapse, but only age showed a significant relationship with death. Furthermore, the NLR was significantly higher in patients with macrophage activation syndrome than in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) patients (P = .007). In ROC analysis, the NLR with a cutoff value of 5.86 showed a sensitivity of 89.4%, specificity of 87.8%, and AUC of 0.794.The NLR can be used as a diagnostic tool and predictor of relapse in AOSD, and for differential diagnosis of HLH.

Refractory adult-onset Still disease complicated by macrophage activation syndrome and acute myocarditis: A case report treated with high doses (8 mg/kg/d) of anakinra

RATIONALE

Myocarditis is a rare but potentially fatal complication of Still's disease (about 7% of total cases).

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 42-year-old woman was admitted to our ward with high-grade fever, rash and polyarthralgia, lasting since 4 weeks and rapidly complicated by MAS and acute heart failure.

DIAGNOSES

Adult Onset Still's Disease rapidly developping macrophage activation syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, further complicated by iperacute myocarditis with cardiac arrest.

INTERVENTIONS

After failure of conventional therapies (steroids plus cyclosporine and then biological therapy with Anakinra 100 mg/day), the patient was treated with anakinra 100 mg sc 1 fl 4 times a day.

OUTCOMES

Fast clinical and laboratoristic improvement and subsequent disease remission with complete recovery of cardiac function.

LESSONS

This is the first case report in which high doses of Anakinra have been used to treat a refractory AOSD complicated by MAS and myocarditis. In AOSD complicated by life-threatening conditions, probably we need to consider aggressive therapeutic approaches with higher doses of Il-1 receptor blocker to switch off the hyper-inflammation.

Adult-onset Still's disease with atypical cutaneous manifestations

The diagnosis of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) can be very difficult. There are no specific tests available, and diagnosis is usually based on a symptom complex and the well-described typical evanescent rash seen in the majority of patients. However, in recent years, other atypical cutaneous manifestations of AOSD have been reported. These atypical skin eruptions often present in addition to the typical evanescent rash but may also be the only skin manifestation, resulting in delayed diagnosis because of under-recognition.In this study, we present 3 new cases of AOSD with atypical cutaneous manifestations diagnosed during a 30-year period in our department and review 78 additional cases previously reported (PubMed 1990-2016). These 81 patients form the basis of the present analysis.The overall prevalence of atypical cutaneous manifestations in our AOSD population was 14%. These manifestations may appear at any time over the course of the disease, and usually occur in patients who have persistent and severe disease, with a considerable frequency of clinical complications (23%), including serositis, myopericarditis, lung involvement, abdominal pain, neurologic involvement, and reactive hemophagocytic syndrome.The most representative and frequent lesion among the nonclassical skin rashes is the development of persistent pruritic papules and/or plaques. Interestingly, these lesions show a distinctive histological pattern. Other, less frequently observed lesions include urticaria and urticaria-like eruptions, generalized or widespread non-pruritic persistent erythema, vesiculopustular eruptions, a widespread peau d'orange appearance of the skin, and edema of the eyelids mimicking dermatomyositis without any accompanying skin lesion.The great majority of these patients required medium or high doses of glucocorticoids (including intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy in some cases) and, in nearly 40%, a more potent or maintenance immunotherapy with immunosuppressant drugs and/or biologic agents (mainly anakinra or tocilizumab) to control or manage symptoms because of a polycyclic or chronic course. The development of atypical cutaneous manifestations seems to be associated with a potentially worse prognosis, with a mortality rate reaching 8% primarily because of infectious complications related to immunosuppressive therapy.In conclusion, the appearance of atypical cutaneous manifestations is not uncommon in AOSD. Recognition of this clinical variant is crucial for the early diagnosis of AOSD, as it might imply persistent disease activity and the need for more aggressive treatment.

Efficacy of tocilizumab therapy in Korean patients with adult-onset Still's disease: a multicentre retrospective study of 22 cases

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), a monoclonal antibody against the interleukin (IL)-6 receptor, for refractory adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) in the Korean population.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 22 Korean patients with refractory AOSD who were given TCZ at one of seven university hospital-based clinics for rheumatic disease. Patients were subdivided into groups according to disease course: monocyclic, systemic polycyclic, and chronic articular. Modified Pouchot scores, including laboratory and clinical findings, were analysed at 6 months and 12 months.

RESULTS

TCZ was given at 4-8 mg/kg every 4-5 weeks (8 mg/kg every 4-5 weeks in 18 patients, 6 mg/kg every 4 weeks in 2, and 4 mg/kg every 4 weeks in 2) for 7.5 months (median, IQR: 4.0-12.3). A good response (measured as a decrease of >2 in the modified Pouchot score) was achieved in 50.0% of patients (11 of 22) at 6 months and in 64.3% (9 of 14) at 12 months. The dose of corticosteroid dose was reduced from 11.5 mg/day (median, IQR: 10.0-21.3) immediately before TCZ therapy to 7.5 mg/day (median, IQR: 5.0-10.0, p=0.002) at 6 months and finally to 6.3 mg/day (median, IQR: 5.0-7.5, p=0.002) at 12 months. Only one patient discontinued TCZ treatment due to facial swelling accompanied by high blood pressure. In all others, adverse events subsided with delayed TCZ therapy, and TCZ therapy was continued successfully without problems.

CONCLUSIONS

TCZ was effective for treating Korean AOSD patients who were refractory to conventional therapy or other anti-cytokine biologics, showing a corticosteroid-sparing effect and an acceptable tolerance profile.

Parenchymal lung involvement in adult-onset Still disease: A STROBE-compliant case series and literature review

Parenchymal lung involvement (PLI) in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) has seldom, if ever, been studied. We examine here retrospective cohort AOSD cases and present a review of the literature (1971-2014) on AOSD-related PLI cases.Patients with PLI were identified in 57 AOSD cases. For inclusion, the patients had to fulfill Yamaguchi or Fautrel classification criteria, show respiratory symptoms, and have imaging evidence of pulmonary involvement, and data allowing exclusion of infectious, cardiogenic, toxic, or iatrogenic cause of PLI should be available. This AOSD + PLI group was compared with a control group (non-PLI-complicated AOSD cases from the same cohort).AOSD + PLI was found in 3 out of the 57 patients with AOSD (5.3%) and the literature mentioned 27 patients. Among these 30 AOSD + PLI cases, 12 presented an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and the remaining 18 another PLI. In the latter, a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia computed tomography pattern prevailed in the lower lobes, pulmonary function tests showed a restrictive lung function, the alveolar differential cell count was neutrophilic in half of the cases, and the histological findings were consistent with bronchiolitis and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia. Corticosteroids were fully efficient in all but 3 patients. Ten out of 12 ARDS cases occurred during the first year of the disease course. All ARDS-complicated AOSD cases received corticosteroids with favorable outcomes in 10 (2 deceased). Most PLIs occurred during the systemic onset of AOSD.PLI may occur in 5% of AOSDs, of which ARDS is the most severe. Very often, corticosteroids are efficient in controlling this complication.

[Not Available]

Zusammenfassung. Das Makrophagen-Aktivierungs-Syndrom (MAS) ist eine potenziell lebensbedrohliche Komplikation, die vorwiegend in Rahmen autoimmuner oder rheumatologischer Erkrankungen auftritt. Pathophysiologisch kommt es hierbei zu einem Zustand massivster Hyperinflammation im Rahmen eines sogenannten «Zytokin-Sturms». Wir berichten in diesem Fall von einer 42-jährigen Patientin mit der Neudiagnose eines adulten Morbus Still, die im Verlauf ein MAS entwickelt. Wir beschreiben in diesem Bericht die typische Klinik, die Schwierigkeiten in der Diagnostik sowie die aktuellen therapeutischen Möglichkeiten bei Patienten mit einem MAS.

Epidemiology and outcome of adult-onset Still's disease in Northwestern Thrace region in Turkey

OBJECTIVES

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare disease that is classified among the multifactorial autoinflammatory disorders. It is characterised by fever, arthritis and, a typical salmon-coloured rash, and is accompanied by fever at nights. Currently, there is limited data on the prevalence of AOSD.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with AOSD at the Department of Rheumatology of Trakya University Medical Faculty, between 2003 to 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients' clinical features, laboratory measurements, demographics, treatments, follow-up durations, disease courses, outcomes and complications were evaluated.

RESULTS

Our study included 42 patients with AOSD of whom, 32 (76.2%) were females and 10 (23.8%) were males (female to male ratio: 3.2). Over the course of the study, the annual incidence of AOSD was 0.62/100,000; and the overall prevalence was 6.77/100,000. The most common findings were fever (97.6%), arthralgia (95.2%), arthritis (76.2%), rash (73.8%) and sore throat (40.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

In our hospital-based study on AOSD which is a disease with very limited epidemiological data, the frequency of AOSD was found to be significantly higher than in other series. Female gender was more common in our series; and polycyclic pattern was more common in patients with longer follow-ups.

Efficacy of Anakinra in Refractory Adult-Onset Still's Disease: Multicenter Study of 41 Patients and Literature Review

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is often refractory to standard therapy. Anakinra (ANK), an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, has demonstrated efficacy in single cases and small series of AOSD. We assessed the efficacy of ANK in a series of AOSD patients. Multicenter retrospective open-label study. ANK was used due to lack of efficacy to standard synthetic immunosuppressive drugs and in some cases also to at least 1 biologic agent. Forty-one patients (26 women/15 men) were recruited. They had a mean age of 34.4 ± 14 years and a median [interquartile range (IQR)] AOSD duration of 3.5 [2-6] years before ANK onset. At that time the most common clinical features were joint manifestations 87.8%, fever 78%, and cutaneous rash 58.5%. ANK yielded rapid and maintained clinical and laboratory improvement. After 1 year of therapy, the frequency of joint and cutaneous manifestations had decreased to 41.5% and to 7.3% respectively, fever from 78% to 14.6%, anemia from 56.1% to 9.8%, and lymphadenopathy from 26.8% to 4.9%. A dramatic improvement of laboratory parameters was also achieved. The median [IQR] prednisone dose was also reduced from 20 [11.3-47.5] mg/day at ANK onset to 5 [0-10] at 12 months. After a median [IQR] follow-up of 16 [5-50] months, the most important side effects were cutaneous manifestations (n = 8), mild leukopenia (n = 3), myopathy (n = 1), and infections (n = 5). ANK is associated with rapid and maintained clinical and laboratory improvement, even in nonresponders to other biologic agents. However, joint manifestations are more refractory than the systemic manifestations.

A Case of Adult-Onset Still's Disease Treated with Monitoring of Serum Tacrolimus Levels

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. The mainstays of treatment are glucocorticoids (GCs) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, although most cases are refractory to these conventional therapies. Immunosuppressants,such as methotrexate (MTX), cyclosporine A, tumor necrosis factor-α blockers, an interleukin (IL)-1 blocker, and an IL-6, receptor blocker, have been suggested in previous reports for the treatment of steroid-resistant AOSD. We report herein the case of an AOSD patient who was successfully treated with tacrolimus, another immunosuppressant, in combination with GC and MTX. Blood concentrations of tacrolimus were monitored because of the narrow therapeutic window.