FEATURED SEARCH TERM: juvenile arthritis
Caught soon enough and treated effectively, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) may actually be controllable in many cases, to judge from two recent reports. In the first, data from a European registry shows that after 15 months of etanercept(Drug information on etanercept) treatment, a third of JIA patients had excellent results, defined as inactive disease or early discontinuation of the drug. Compared to the third who showed only intermediate response and the remainder who fared poorly, the most fortunate third were those who were younger at onset of symptoms, had less disability at baseline, and had taken fewer disease-modifying antirheumatic agents (DMARDs) before beginning etanercept. Girls were less likely than boys to respond well.
RESULT: Factors Associated With Treatment Response to Etanercept in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
JAMA | Dec 7, 2011 (Free abstract. Full text $30)
A randomized study has achieved clinically inactive status within 6 months for a third of children with polyarticular JIA, in the treatment group that received weekly methotrexate(Drug information on methotrexate), etanercept, and prednisone(Drug information on prednisone). Within only 4 months, seven in ten of those who received immediate aggressive treatment showed a 70% improvement in disease activity, as determined by physician and parent assessments of quality of life as well as the number of affected joints. The results of this study set “new standards for treatment, response, and outcomes for children with polyarticular JIA,” said the physician from Seattle Children’s Hospital who presented them at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.
RESULT: Early, Aggressive Treatment May Improve Outcomes in Children With Juvenile Arthritis: Presented at ACR
PeerView Press | Dec 12, 2011 (FREE FULL TEXT)
