Erosive osteoarthritis of the hand: clinical experience with anakinra
Immuno-Rheumatology, Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France
Correspondence to:
L Bacconier, Immuno-Rheumatology, Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France; ludovicbacconnier@yahoo.fr
Accepted 6 September 2008
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Erosive osteoarthritis (EOA) is an important subtype of OA, characterised by an aggressive clinical course in perimenopausal women.1 Pain, swelling, redness, warmth and limited function of the digital joints are commonly found in most patients. Erosions (sharp marginal defects, central "crumbling" erosion, "gull-wing" deformity) are an essential hallmark for diagnosis. EOA eventually leads to joint deformity and ankylosis and is an important cause of disability, usually compared to the handicap caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
There are currently no guidelines on the best therapeutic approach in EOA, and treatments usually recommended for patients who do not have EOA (paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), intra-articular injection of corticosteroids, chondroitin sulfate) or physiotherapy are frequently disappointing.
Recent research has highlighted the role of interleukin(IL) 1 in disease progression. Proinflammatory cytokines such as IL1β and, to a lesser extent, tumour necrosis factor 
, play a key role in the destruction of the cartilage matrix
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