Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ) in adult patients with refractory immune-mediated necrotizing myopathies (IMNMs) and investigate possible predictive biomarkers of the response to treatment with TCZ. Methods: Patients with refractory IMNM were enrolled in this open-label pilot observational study and received intravenous TCZ treatment. The clinical response was assessed after 6 months of TCZ treatment according to the 2016 American College of Rheumatology-European League Against Rheumatism (ACR-EULAR) response criteria for adult dermatomyositis and polymyositis. Muscle biopsies were performed to investigate muscle fiber regeneration by immunohistochemical staining of CD56. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 were measured using a multiplex bead-based flow fluorescent immunoassay. The levels of muscle IL-6 mRNA were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total of 11 patients with refractory IMNM were enrolled in the study, including 3 anti-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase- and 8 anti-signal recognition particle-positive patients. Seven (63.6%) of these patients achieved clinically significant responses according to the 2016 ACR-EULAR myositis response criteria. Responders had higher baseline serum IL-6 and muscle IL-6 mRNA levels and percentage of CD56-positive muscle fibers than non-responders. Baseline serum IL-6 levels and the percentage of CD56-positive muscle fibers were positively correlated with total improvement score after 6 months of TCZ treatment. Furthermore, muscle fiber necrosis and muscle fiber size variation decreased in repeated muscle biopsies in five responders. Conclusion: Patients with refractory IMNM may respond to TCZ. Baseline serum IL-6 and muscle IL-6 mRNA levels and the percentage of CD56-positive muscle fibers may predict the response to TCZ treatment in these patients.
Keywords: biomarker; immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy; interleukin-6; tocilizumab; treatment.
Copyright © 2021 Li, Li, Jiang, He, Peng, Wang and Lu.