Efficacy and Safety of Anti-TNFα Therapy for Uveitis Associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors for juvenile idiopathic arthritis

BACKGROUND

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a rheumatic disorder that causes chronic joint inflammation beginning before the age of 16 years. Pharmacological treatment necessary to prevent joint destruction and functional impairment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), intra-articular corticosteroids, conventional synthetic (cs) disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate (MTX), and biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), abatacept, anakinra, and tocilizumab. More recently, targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) like tofacitinib, baricitinib, and upadacitinib have been approved for the treatment of JIA.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the benefits and harms of TNFi in children with JIA.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (via Ovid), Embase (via Ovid), and ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO ICTRP from inception to 28 February 2024, with no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and data from the randomized part of withdrawal trials conducted in individuals with JIA where TNFi were compared to placebo, MTX, NSAIDs, other bDMARDs, tsDMARDs, or other TNFi. Our major outcomes were treatment response, pain, function, participant global assessment of well-being (disease activity), remission, withdrawals due to adverse events, and serious adverse events.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods. At least two review authors performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias and GRADE assessment. The primary comparison was TNFi versus placebo. The primary time point was up to 16 weeks and up to the end of the trials for efficacy and safety outcomes, respectively.

MAIN RESULTS

We included nine studies with 678 participants (80% females) with JIA. The mean age of participants ranged from 8 to 15 years, and the mean duration of symptoms ranged from 0.8 years to 6.7 years. Seven studies compared TNFi to placebo (570 participants), and two studies compared TNFi combined with MTX to MTX alone (108 participants). We identified no studies investigating the other predefined comparisons. Only two studies had a low risk of bias in all domains, while five studies had a high risk of bias in at least one domain, predominantly other bias. Two studies were at unclear risk of selection bias, and two studies were at unclear risk of detection bias. TNFi versus placebo Benefits at up to 16 weeks Low-certainty evidence (downgraded for risk of bias and imprecision) suggests that treatment with TNFi may increase the likelihood of achieving a treatment response, defined as pedACR70 (34% compared to 14% with placebo) (risk ratio [RR] 2.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48 to 4.14; 4 studies, 245 participants). The evidence is very uncertain (downgraded for indirectness and imprecision) for the effect of TNFi on pain, with mean pain scores (visual analogue scale [VAS] 0 to 100, 0 no pain, minimal clinically important difference [MCID] = 15 mm) lower with TNFi (11 mm) compared to placebo (33 mm) (mean difference [MD] 22 mm, 95% CI 50 mm lower to 5.7 mm higher; 2 studies, 72 participants). Similarly, the effect of TNFi on function (Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire [CHAQ], 0 to 3, 0 normal function) and quality of life (global assessment of well-being, VAS 0 to 100 mm, 0 no disease activity) is very uncertain. Mean function was 0.84 with TNFi and 1 with placebo (MD 0.16 lower, 95% CI 0.39 lower to 0.06 higher; 3 studies, 194 participants; very low-certainty evidence, downgraded for risk of bias and imprecision). The mean participant global assessment of well-being was 23 mm with TNFi and 34 mm with placebo (MD 11 mm lower, 95% CI 23 mm lower to 1 mm higher; 3 studies, 194 participants; very low-certainty evidence, downgraded for indirectness, imprecision, and risk of bias). No study reported data on remission. Harms at any time We are uncertain about the effect of TNFi on withdrawals due to adverse events (3%) compared to placebo (1%) (RR 3.41, 95% CI 0.73 to 15.9; 6 studies, 448 participants). We are also uncertain about the effect of TNFi on serious adverse events (7%) compared to placebo (6%) (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.53 to 2.22; 6 studies, 448 participants). The certainty of evidence was very low, downgraded for risk of bias and imprecision. TNFi plus MTX versus MTX alone Benefits at 17 to 26 weeks We are uncertain about the effect of TNFi plus MTX on treatment response. Seventy per cent of participants receiving MTX and 90% receiving TNFi plus MTX achieved treatment response (RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.77; 1 study, 40 participants). We are also uncertain about the effect of TNFi plus MTX on remission. Five per cent of participants on MTX monotherapy and 40% on combination therapy were in remission (RR 8.00, 95% CI 1.10 to 58.19; 1 study, 40 participants). No study reported pain, function, or participant global assessment of well-being. Harms at any time We are uncertain about the effect of TNFi plus MTX on withdrawals due to adverse events and serious adverse events. Very low-certainty evidence from two studies shows that 2/53 participants (4%) receiving MTX alone and 3/55 (5%) receiving TNFi plus MTX withdrew due to adverse events (RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.18 to 9.82; 108 participants), and 5/53 (9%) receiving MTX alone and 0/55 receiving TNFi plus MTX reported serious adverse events (RR 0.16, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.32). Due to risk of bias and imprecision, the certainty of evidence was very low across all major outcomes for this comparison.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In JIA, TNFi may result in a higher proportion of individuals achieving clinical improvement compared to placebo, but we are uncertain about the effect of TNFi on pain, function, and quality of life. We are also uncertain about the effect of TNFi combined with MTX versus MTX alone on clinical improvement and remission. Evidence for the safety of TNFi compared to placebo or MTX is very uncertain. There are no RCTs comparing TNFi to other treatments. More high-quality studies are warranted to assess the benefits and harms of TNFi in JIA.

Taiwan ocular inflammation society consensus recommendations for the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis

We presented the development of a consensus guideline for managing juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIAU) in Taiwan, considering regional differences in manifestation and epidemiology. The Taiwan Ocular Inflammation Society (TOIS) committee formulated this guideline using a modified Delphi approach with two panel meetings. Recommendations were based on a comprehensive evidence-based literature review and expert clinical experiences, and were graded according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine's "Levels of Evidence" guideline (March 2009). The TOIS consensus guideline consists of 10 recommendations in four categories: screening and diagnosis, treatment, complications, and monitoring, covering a total of 27 items. These recommendations received over 75% agreement from the panelists. Early diagnosis and a coordinated referral system between ophthalmologists and pediatric rheumatologists are crucial to prevent irreversible visual impairment in children with JIAU. However, achieving a balance between disease activity and medication use remains a key challenge in JIAU management, necessitating further clinical studies.

Etanercept-associated episcleritis: a pediatric case report of a paradoxical adverse reaction and review of the literature

Scleritis is an inflammation of the episcleral and scleral tissues, characterized by injection in both superficial and deep episcleral vessels. When only episcleral tissue is involved, it is referred to as episcleritis. Episcleritis is mainly idiopathic but may be secondary to an underlying rheumatologic disease. Despite being rare, drug-associated episcleritis and scleritis should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors are generally well-tolerated, but etanercept, in particular, has the potential to cause paradoxical adverse reactions including ocular inflammations, such as uveitis, scleritis, and ocular myositis. Etanercept differs in its mechanism of action from other TNF-α inhibitors as it acts as a decoy receptor, and this may partly explain the more frequently reported etanercept-associated ocular inflammation. Etanercept may also be ineffective in preventing ocular inflammation. However, the dechallenge and rechallenge phenomena have proven there is a causative link between etanercept and new-onset ocular inflammation. We report a case of a 15-year-old boy with enthesitis-related arthritis and familial Mediterranean fever who presented with episcleritis and blepharitis while receiving etanercept treatment and subsequently showed dechallenge and rechallenge reactions. Therefore, physicians should also be aware that episcleritis should be considered a paradoxical adverse reaction to etanercept and can occur in pediatric patients. We also reviewed the English literature to provide an overview and evaluate intervention options.

Diagnosis and Management of Non-Infectious Uveitis in Pediatric Patients

Uveitis in children accounts for 5-10% of all cases. The causes vary considerably. Classically, uveitis is distinguished according to its infectious or inflammatory origin and whether it is part of a systemic disease or represents an isolated ocular disease. It is important to highlight the specificity of certain etiologies among children such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The development of visual function can potentially be hindered by amblyopia (children aged < 7 years), in addition to the usual complications (synechiae, macular edema) seen in adult patients. Moreover, the presentation of uveitis in children is often "silent" with few warning signs and few functional complaints from young children, which frequently leads to a substantial diagnostic delay. The diagnostic approach is guided by the presentation of the uveitis, which can be characterized by its location, and corresponds to the initial and main site of intraocular inflammation; its presentation, whether acute or chronic, granulomatous or not; and the response to treatment. Pediatricians have an important role to play and must be aware of the various presentations and etiologies of uveitis in children. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common etiology of pediatric non-infectious uveitis, but other causes must be recognized. Promptly initiated treatment before complications arise requires early diagnosis, recognition, and treatment. Any dependence on prolonged local corticosteroid therapy justifies discussing the introduction of a corticosteroid-sparing treatment considering the risk to develop corticoid-induced glaucoma and cataracts. Systemic corticosteroid therapy can be required for urgent control of inflammation in the case of severe uveitis. Long-lasting immunosuppressive treatment and biotherapies are most often prescribed at the same time to reinforce treatment efficacy and to prevent relapse and corticosteroid dependency. We review the different causes of uveitis, excluding infection, and the diagnostic and therapeutic management aimed at limiting the risk of irreversible sequelae.

Uveitis Associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common cause of uveitis in children. While symptoms are usually mild, persistent eye inflammation could lead to severe complications and impaired vision. It is essential that JIA patients at risk are diagnosed with uveitis early, receive adequate treatment, and avoid developing complications, such as cataract, glaucoma, and amblyopia. The purpose of this mini-review is to summarize the screening strategies and clinical management for JIA-associated uveitis (JIA-U) as well as the current state of molecular markers linked to this condition. Because glaucoma is one of the most common causes of visual loss in JIA-U, special focus will be put on this serious complication. We conclude by describing the current evidence regarding the long-standing question of whether chronic anterior uveitis without arthritis may be the same disease entity as JIA-U.

Treatment with Biologic Drugs in Pediatric Behçet's Disease: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Published Data

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Behçet's disease (BD) is a variable vessel vasculitis. Biologic drugs are increasingly used in the treatment of BD. We aimed to analyze biologic drug use in the treatment of pediatric BD.

METHODS

MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from the inception of these databases until 15 November 2022, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Only reports presenting data of pediatric patients with BD (BD diagnosis < 18 years of age) treated with biologic drugs were included. The demographic features, clinical characteristics, and data on treatment were extracted from the included papers.

RESULTS

We included 87 articles including 187 pediatric patients with BD treated with biologic drugs (215 biologic treatments). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors (176 treatments) were the most frequently used biologic drugs followed by interferons (21 treatments). Other reported biologic treatments were anti-interleukin-1 agents (n = 11), tocilizumab (n = 4), daclizumab (n = 2), and rituximab (n = 1). The most common indication for biologic drug use was ocular involvement (93 treatments) followed by multisystem active disease (29 treatments). Monoclonal TNF-α inhibitors, adalimumab and infliximab, were preferred over etanercept in ocular and gastrointestinal BD. The improvement rates with any TNF-α inhibitor, adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept, and interferons were 78.5%, 86.1%, 63.4%, 87.5%, and 70%; respectively. The organ-specific improvement rate with TNF-α inhibitors was 76.7% and 70% for ocular and gastrointestinal system involvement. Adverse events have been reported for TNF-α inhibitors, interferons, and rituximab. Six of these were severe [TNF-α inhibitors (n = 4); interferons (n = 2)].

CONCLUSIONS

The presented systematic literature search revealed that TNF-α inhibitors followed by interferons were the most frequently used biologic drugs in pediatric BD. Both group of biologic treatments appeared to be effective and have an acceptable safety profile in pediatric BD. However, controlled studies are required for analyzing indications for biologic treatments in pediatric BD.

Biologic therapies for juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most frequent rheumatic disease of childhood and uveitis is its most common extra-articular manifestation. JIA-associated uveitis (JIA-U) is one of the main causes of visual impairment in children and represents a major challenge for pediatrician and ophthalmologist, due to its insidious onset and sight-threatening complications. Topical glucocorticoids are the first line of treatment, followed by conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), usually methotrexate (MTX). In recent years, new biological drugs targeting specific molecules involved in disease pathogenesis, have significantly improved the prognosis of the disease, especially for cases refractory to conventional therapies. In this review we discuss the role of biological agents in JIA-U, focusing on cytokine blockers and cell-targeted therapies aimed to control ocular inflammation.

The efficacy of Golimumab against non-infectious uveitis: a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

In this PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the efficacy of golimumab (GOL) against non-infectious uveitis (NIU).

METHODS

We included eight articles in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was inflammation remission. Secondary outcomes were changes in the number of uveitis relapses/attacks, mean best-corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness, and systemic corticosteroid-sparing effects.

RESULTS

In total, eight case series with 172 patients (43.6% female) were collected. Patients had 75% (95% CI: 56-87%) of remission; 42% (0.12-0.80) of patients showed improved visual acuity. The average central macular thickness decline was 38 μm (-56.51-18.54). The pooled results showed a significant decrease in the use of systemic corticosteroids.

CONCLUSION

This study was limited by the use of non-RCT designs, limited sample sizes for outcomes, and heterogenetic underlying diseases. Our results suggest that GOL is effective against NIU. However, further evidence and analyses are required. (Funding: None; PROSPERO registration: CRD42021266214.).

Management Strategies of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Chronic Anterior Uveitis: Current Perspectives

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common extraocular disease associated with pediatric uveitis. Despite the growing knowledge about the pathogenetic and clinical characteristics of the disease, it still remains a challenge for both the pediatric rheumatologist and ophthalmologist. Since uveitis is asymptomatic in most cases, it is generally detected by parents in a late phase of the disease when complications have occurred with consequent severe vision loss. Improvement in attentive screening and early treatment initiation to suppress inflammation has considerably reduced the sight-threatening outcomes of JIA-associated chronic anterior uveitis (JIA-CAU). Initial treatment with topical steroids is effective in most cases. However, more severe cases require the use of periocular or systemic corticosteroids, possibly leading to long-term complications. These include growth retardation, cataract and glaucoma. Systemic immunosuppressive agents are then employed in patients resistant to first-line therapy or to reduce steroid-associated complications. In this review, we will discuss the immunosuppressant agents currently employed for the treatment of the disease, including anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α biologics approved or not by the regulatory agencies. We will also highlight how new therapeutic options like biologic targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) co-stimulatory molecule, interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) or B lymphocytes might represent exciting new options for patients resistant to conventional therapy. Finally, the potential use of janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors recently approved for the treatment of several inflammatory rheumatic diseases in adults will be also discussed.

Pediatric uveitis: Role of the pediatrician

The challenges of childhood uveitis lie in the varied spectrum of its clinical presentation, the often asymptomatic nature of disease, and the evolving nature of the phenotype alongside normal physiological development. These issues can lead to delayed diagnosis which can cause significant morbidity and severe visual impairment. The most common ocular complications include cataracts, band keratopathy, glaucoma, and macular oedema, and the various associated systemic disorders can also result in extra-ophthalmic morbidity. Pediatricians have an important role to play. Their awareness of the various presentations and etiologies of uveitis in children afford the opportunity of prompt diagnosis before complications arise. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common associated disorders seen in childhood uveitis, but there is a need to recognize other causes. In this review, different causes of uveitis are explored, including infections, autoimmune and autoinflammatory disease. As treatment is often informed by etiology, pediatricians can ensure early ophthalmological referral for children with inflammatory disease at risk of uveitis and can support management decisions for children with uveitis and possible underling multi-system inflammatory disease, thus reducing the risk of the development of irreversible sequelae.