A journal article published on December 20, 2023, shows the discovery of a new MAS warning sign.
Intermediate monocytes produce TNF and IL-1B. Medications, such as TNF-inhibitors and IL-1B inhibitors, help suppress the ongoing inflammatory responses these IMs bring.
IMs are also known to increase inflammation within the cardiovascular system. This may be a part of why many rheumatic patients also have cardiovascular disease.
For people with adult-onset Still’s (AOSD) specifically, there was an uptick in the measured IMs leading up to and during MAS events. This could help explain why the IL-1B inhibitor Anakinra is a go-to treatment for MAS.
The study even went on to point out that this could become a biomarker, allowing us to catch MAS events earlier. This would hopefully lead to better outcomes, too.
Read the full article below.
Jia, J., Wang, M., Ma, Y. et al. Neutrophil extracellular trap-induced intermediate monocytes trigger macrophage activation syndrome in adult-onset Still’s disease. BMC Med 21, 507 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03231-9