Immunoadsorption as a novel therapy for refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a retrospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
IAS may be an effective adjunctive therapy in patients refractory to GC and conventional treatments, leading to rapid CK level reductions, decreased GC usage and improvements in PCSA and muscle function.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with confirmed highly active idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) unresponsive to standard therapies, including glucocorticoids (GC) and at least one DMARD, treated with immunoadsorption (IAS) between January 2000 and September 2021
- Participants
- 23 adults
- Outcome
- Minor improvement: ≥ 20% reduction in both daily GC dosage and creatine kinase (CK) levels, with patient comparative self-assessment (PCSA) rated 'no change' or 'better'
- Follow-up
- Week 12
Methodological detailsmonocentric
- Monocentric
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Minor improvement (≥20% reduction in both daily GC dose and CK, with PCSA 'no change' or 'better')
Patients reaching the primary end point (all patients treated with IAS)
52.2%
n = 12
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Moderate improvement (≥40%) · week 4
- Patients with moderate improvement
- 8.7% (n = 2)
Moderate improvement (≥40%) · week 8
- Patients with moderate improvement
- 26.1% (n = 6)
Moderate improvement (≥40%) · week 12
- Patients with moderate improvement
- 34.8% (n = 8)
Major improvement (≥60%) · week 4
- Patients with major improvement
- 8.7% (n = 2)
Major improvement (≥60%) · week 8
- Patients with major improvement
- 17.4% (n = 4)
Major improvement (≥60%) · week 12
- Patients with major improvement
- 30.4% (n = 7)
Relapse within 3 months after the last IAS procedure
- Relapse rate
- 18%
- Described as low
Safety
- No unexpected adverse events were reported
Original publication
Immunoadsorption as a novel therapy for refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a retrospective observational study. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 28 May 2025. doi:10.
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