Rheumatoid factor value for determining the first biologic agent to use for non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, no indicators on which biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) should be used first for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have been established. Thus, this study aimed to determine the useful biomarkers in JIA to enable the best selection of the first bDMARDs without primary failure. METHODS: This retrospective study used data of patients examined for JIA between 2015 and 2021 at Kagoshima University Hospital in Japan. RESULTS: Altogether, 67 cases of non-systemic JIA were analyzed, excluding cases that had been treated for <6 months. Of the 67 cases, 52 were treated with bDMARDs and all rheumatoid factor (RF)+ types (32 cases) were treated with bDMARDs. Eleven cases (31.4&) (all were RF+ types and used anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α agents) switched to other bDMARDs because of primary failure, and nine cases had secondary failure (6;anti-TNF, 3;anti-Interleukin-6). A significant difference in pre-treatment RF values (177.9 vs 25.7 IU/ml, p = 0.002) and presence (Odds Ratio 1.952,p = 0.004) were observed between the primary failure group and effective group. CONCLUSIONS: RF+ JIA required bDMARDs with high probability. JIA with high titre of RF tends to be refractory to anti-TNFα agents. Tocilizumab or abatacept could be a first-choice bDMARD in such cases.

Brentuximab Vedotin and High-dose Methotrexate Administrated Alternately for Refractory Anaplastic Large-cell Lymphoma With Central Nervous System Disease.

Pediatric anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), which is characterized by strong expression of CD30, is usually responsive to multidrug chemotherapy. Brentuximab vedotin (BV) which is an anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate is a promising drug with effects on relapsing or refractory ALCL. However, its effects may not be sufficient for the central nervous system disease. The authors herein reported an 11-year-old boy with ALCL that progressed as central nervous system disease receiving intensive induction chemotherapy has achieved and maintained remission by BV and high-dose methotrexate administrated alternately. Alternate therapy with high-dose methotrexate may complement these shortcomings of BV to provide safe treatment without worsening adverse events.