General Information
Anakinra is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. This helps to slow joint damage and lessens joint pain or swelling caused by rheumatoid arthritis. It is to help you move better.
Anakinra is also used to treat Neonatal-Onset Multisystem Inflammatory Disease (NOMID). This medication helps to improve symptoms of the disease such as:
- Rash
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Joint pain
- Headache
How does Anakinra work?
Anakinra is a synthetic and injectable that blocks the effects of human interleukin-1 (IL-1). It is by competitively inhibiting IL-1 binding to the interleukin-1. In which it is expressed in a wide variety of tissues and organs.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have elevated levels of IL-1. In rheumatoid arthritis patients, the levels of the naturally occurring IL-1Ra are not enough to compete with the elevated amount of locally produced IL-1. Increasing the levels of IL-1Ra by synthetic means lessens the negative of IL-1. It is called cartilage degradation and bone resorption.
Why use Anakinra?
Anakinra is a man-made form of a natural protein made by the body. This medication is an interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor, antagonist. This helps to block the effects of another protein which can cause joint swelling, pain, or stiffness.
This product has the brand name of Kineret. This is supplied in a single-use prefilled glass syringe. It is with 29 gauges needles as a sterile, clear-to-white, and preservative-free solution for subcutaneous use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved this prescription.
How to use Anakinra?
This medication is injected under the skin usually once a day. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to it. Let the medication warm to room temperature for 30 minutes before injecting it.
Clean the injection site with rubbing alcohol before injecting it. Do not inject this medication in an area that is tender, bruised, red, hard, or which has scars or stretch marks. It is important to change the location of the injection site daily to avoid problem areas under the skin. Do not inject this yourself. If you do not understand how to use the medicine properly, call your doctor.
What are the side effects of Anakinra?
- Bruising
- Redness
- Pain at the injection site
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Headache
- Stomach pain
- Cold symptoms such as sneezing, sore throat, or stuffy nose
Warnings and Precautions
- Do not use the medication if it has changed color, looks cloudy or has particles in it.
- Tell your doctor if you had an allergic reaction.
- Call your doctor right away if your condition does not improve or if they get worse while using this drug.
- You should not reuse the syringe. Learn how to keep and discard needles safely.
- While having this medication, do not have vaccinations or immunizations without the consent of your doctor.
