Anifrolumab for systemic lupus erythematosus: A clinical study of Japanese patients in Kanazawa University Hospital

We investigated the effectiveness of anifrolumab in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We treated seven patients with SLE (age range, 31–68 years; median age, 48 years); one male and six females) with anifrolumab between January 2022 and February 2023 at Kanazawa University Hospital. The period between the onset and initiation of anifrolumab treatment was 60–276 months (median, 234 months), and the SLE disease activity index‐2000 (SLEDAI‐2 K) before treatment was 2–6 months (median, 3 months). Five patients experienced skin rashes or alopecia, and their cutaneous lupus erythematosus disease area and severity index (CLASI) activity scores were 2–9 (median, 4). Six patients continued treatment with anifrolumab, but one did not because of uncontrolled pleurisy and pericarditis. Our results demonstrated that anifrolumab was effective in treating SLE and reducing both SLEDAI‐2 K and CLASI activity scores (median decrease, 100%). Furthermore, the oral corticosteroid dosage could be reduced in all patients who were able to continue treatment. Our findings indicate that anifrolumab is effective not only for reducing disease and eruption activities, but also facilitates tapering of corticosteroid dosage.