Comparative tolerability of treatments for juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a revolution in care

A generation ago, children with arthritis faced a lifetime of pain and disability. Today, there are a multitude of treatment options, including a variety of biologics targeting key cytokines and other inflammatory mediators. While non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids were once the mainstay of therapy, they are now largely used as bridge or adjunctive therapies. Among the conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, methotrexate remains first-line therapy for most children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) due to its long track record of safety and effectiveness in the management of peripheral arthritis. Sulfasalazine and leflunomide may also have a secondary role. The tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) have shown tremendous benefit in children with polyarticular JIA and likely in enthesitis-related arthritis and psoriatic JIA as well. There may be additional benefit in combining TNFi with methotrexate. Abatacept and tocilizumab also appear to benefit polyarticular JIA; the role of rituximab remains unclear. For the treatment of systemic JIA, while the TNFi are of less benefit, blockade of interleukin-1 or interleukin-6 is highly effective. Additionally, interleukin-1 blockade appears to be effective treatment of macrophage activation syndrome, one of the most dangerous complications of JIA; specifically, anakinra in combination with cyclosporine and corticosteroids may obviate the need for cytotoxic approaches. In contrast, methotrexate along with the TNFi and abatacept are effective agents for the management of uveitis, another complication of JIA. Overall, the biologics have demonstrated an impressive safety record in children with JIA, although children do need to be monitored for rare but potentially dangerous adverse events, such as tuberculosis and other infections; paradoxical development of additional autoimmune diseases; and possibly an increased risk of malignancy. Finally, there may be a window of opportunity during which children with JIA will demonstrate most optimal responses to aggressive therapy, underscoring the need for rapid diagnosis and initiation of treatment.

Efficacy of methylprednisolone pulse therapy in children with rheumatoid arthritis

Pulse therapy is one of the most well-known methods used in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This study assessed the outcome of methylprednisolone pulse therapy, its rate of efficacy, and its associated complications in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). This cross-sectional study was performed on 120 children with JRA who attended the Pediatric Ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital from 1994 to 2004 and who had undergone around 500 cycles of methylprednisolone pulse therapies. Clinical signs, including signs of improvement, complications, or recurrence of disease, were noted. SPSS version 11.5 and paired t test were used to compare the variables prior to and after treatment. Clinical signs observed included: feeling of weakness (100%), malaise (98.3%), loss of appetite (93.3%), fever (88.3%), skin rash (28%), lymphadenopathy (18.3%), serositis (4.2%), splenomegaly (3.3%), and hepatomegaly (1.7%); however, none of these findings were present after pulse therapy. The number of swollen and tender joints, duration of morning stiffness, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin levels showed significant improvement after pulse therapy. Complications of pulse therapy included tachycardia (n = 16, 13.3%), hypertension (n = 10, 8.3%), headache (n = 2, 1.7%), and flashing (n = 2, 1.7%). The mean duration of remission was 3.3 +/- 0.7 months.