P118 | Long term outcome and disease duration in patients treated with anti-IL 1 drugs for recurrent pericarditis: ad interim analysis of a longitudinal study

A. Pavarani¹, E. Ceriani², F. Agozzino¹, P. Bindi¹, S. Berra¹, A. Brucato¹, S. Macchi¹, L. Vena¹, F. Moda³ | ¹Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, Milano, ²Ospedale Sacco, Milano, ³Ospedale Policlinico di Milano, Italy

Background: Although anti-IL 1 drugs have been proven effective in treating recurrent pericarditis, there is a lack of data about their long-term follow-up.
Objectives: To evaluate the percentage of patients with recurrent pericarditis treated with anti-IL 1 who were able to suspend all therapies during follow-up (‘remission’) and/or suspend biologic therapy for at least 6 months (‘improvement’), as well as the duration of illness.
Methods: We included all patients currently or previously treated with anti-IL 1 for recurrent pericarditis in follow-up at our pericarditis clinic in Fatebenefratelli-Sacco hospital. Characteristics regarding the first attack, relapses, drug transitions, timing of the last drug suspension and any ongoing treatment at follow-up were recorded.
Results: Currently 38 patients were enrolled, with a mean follow up of 5.4 years; 28 of them (74%) are still on treatment with anti-IL 1; 5 (13%) are in remission and free of any treatment since at least 6 months; 5 (13%) obtained improvement: 3 are currently managed only with colchicine, 2 are still in treatment with colchicine and FANS. Mean disease duration in those who reached remission is 5 years (DS±2,3) with mean remission time of 1,7 years (DS±1,2). For those who are still on treatment at follow-up, the mean disease duration was 5.2 years (DS±3,1). Even in patients treated with anti-IL1 drugs, which represent the subgroup of recurrent pericarditis patients with the most complex disease course, suspending or simplifying therapy is possible.