Humoral and cellular immune response to tick-borne-encephalitis (TBE) vaccination depends on booster doses in patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients living in areas with high prevalence of tick-borne-encephalitis-virus-(TBEV)-infection are recommended for administration of inactivated TBE-vaccination. However, there are serious concerns regarding protective vaccine-induced immune responses against TBEV in immunocompromised patients. The present study aimed to analyze the humoral and cellular immune response to TBE-vaccination in previously TBE-vaccinated JIA patients compared to healthy controls (HC) including investigation of IgG-anti-TBEV avidity, neutralization capacity, cellular reactivity by IFNgamma-ELISPOT and cytokine secretion assays. Similar IgG-anti-TBEV antibody concentrations, neutralization titers and cellular reactivity were found between JIA and HC. The number and the early timing of booster vaccinations after primary vaccination had the most prominent effect on neutralizing antibodies in JIA and on IgG-anti-TBEV concentrations in both JIA and HC. Administration of booster vaccinations made it more likely for JIA patients to have IgG-anti-TBEV concentrations ≥165 VIEU/ml and avidities >60%. TNF-alpha inhibitors had a positive and MTX administration a negative effect on humoral immune responses. In conclusion, irrespective of having JIA or not, vaccinated children showed similar humoral and cellular immunity against TBEV several years after primary TBE-vaccination. However, in JIA, booster vaccinations mounted a significantly higher humoral immune response than in JIA without boosters. Our results highlight the need for timely administration of boosters particularly in JIA. Although immunosuppressive treatment at vaccinations in diagnosed JIA had a negative effect mainly on TBEV-specific cellular immunity, most JIA patients mounted a favorable humoral immune response which was maintained over time. Thus, successful TBE-vaccination seems highly feasible in JIA patients with immunosuppressive regimens.

[COVID-19: treatment strategies of German-speaking pediatric rheumatologists : Results of an online survey]. / COVID-19: Behandlungsstrategien der deutschsprachigen Kinderrheumatologen : Ergebnisse einer Online-Umfrage.

BACKGROUND: Reliable data on the course and treatment of pediatric COVID-19 ("corona virus disease 2019") in immunosuppressed patients with rheumatic diseases are missing. AIM: Delineation of individual strategies of the members of the Society for Pediatric Rheumatology (GKJR) in cases of COVID-19. METHODS: In May 2020 all GKJR members were invited to take part in an online survey. Opinion data regarding an approach using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) in cases of COVID-19 as well as the readiness to use new therapeutic agents in patients in different stages of the disease were collected. RESULTS: A total of 71 respondents (27.3% of all contacted pediatric rheumatologists) took part in the survey. Of these 28.2% had treated patients with COVID-19. Over 95% of the respondents did not support a preventive adaptation of the anti-rheumatic treatment during the SARS-CoV­2 pandemic. In the case of outpatients under immunosuppression with proven COVID-19 more than 50% of the respondents would refrain from administering intravenous high-dose steroids, cyclophosphamide, anti-CD20 antibodies as well as BAFF, CTLA­4 and TNF-alpha blockades. Conversely, >70% of the respondents would continue the treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), oral steroids, mycophenolate, IL­1 blockade and immunoglobulins (Ig). In the case of inpatients 74.6% of respondents would consider targeted COVID-19 treatment. In stable patients with oxygen treatment (stage I) HCQ (18.3%), azithromycin (16.9%) and Ig (9.9%) were most frequently used. In cases of early signs (stage II) or a manifest cytokine storm (stage III) anakinra (40.8% for stage II and 46.5% for stage III), tocilizumab (26.8% and 40.8%, respectively), steroids (25.4% and 33.8%, respectively) and remdesivir (29.6% and 38.0%, respectively) were most frequently used. The need for a personalized approach based on the current clinical situation was emphasized by many respondents. CONCLUSION: The currently low prevalence of COVID-19 in Germany limits the general clinical experience. Therefore, the presented results have to be interpreted with caution and mostly as hypothetical treatment considerations. It is to be expected that there will always be a limited amount of evidence on pediatric COVID-19; therefore, a continuous and critical exchange of expert opinions on the treatment strategies is important.

[Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis : Imaging and differential diagnoses]. / Chronische nichtbakterielle Osteomyelitis : Bildgebung und Differenzialdiagnosen.

Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is an autoinflammatory bone disease in childhood and adolescence with a preference for the female gender. It is manifested with multiple osseous lesions, with a predilection for the metaphyseal end zones of the long bones of the lower extremities. These bone lesions usually occur multifocally, can recur and develop a different appearance depending on the bone structure affected. Patients present with a longer disease history, changing clinical symptoms and unspecific paraclinical signs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging of choice and particularly as a whole body examination can speed up the diagnosis and is an important component of follow-up controls. Differential diagnoses include numerous inflammatory, benign and malignant bone diseases. Therefore, it is essential to know the diagnosis of CNO and to take it into consideration in cases of an unclear inflammatory bone process in young patients.

[Immunization in children and adolescents with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases]. / Sinnvolle Impfprävention bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit rheumatischen und muskuloskelettalen Erkrankungen.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with inflammatory rheumatic diseases have a disease and treatment-related increased risk of infections. This risk includes vaccine-preventable diseases; therefore, vaccinations represent an important preventive measure against infection in these patients. However, approximately one in three patients with a juvenile rheumatic disease is nowadays still inadequately vaccinated, mostly due to uncertainty regarding the efficacy and safety of vaccination in these patients. OBJECTIVES: This paper summarizes the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of vaccinations in children and adolescents with rheumatic diseases and gives recommendations for the clinical practice. RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES: Almost 2000 children and adolescents with rheumatic diseases were examined in the more than 30 previously published vaccination studies, comprising nearly all standard vaccinations in the immunization schedule. The immunogenicity was usually sufficient and there was no evidence of a relevant aggravation of the underlying disease. Recommendations for the clinical practice are given also considering data beyond pediatric rheumatology; however, a final benefit-risk assessment is not yet possible.

[Screening investigations during intensified immunosuppression in children and adolescents. Part 1]. / Vorsorgeuntersuchungen während intensivierter Immunsuppression bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Teil 1.

The increasing use of combination therapies, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and biologicals has improved the outcome for children and adolescents in several rheumatic diseases. However, this strategy has increased the risk of drug-specific side-effects, such as an increased risk of infections. Furthermore, the underlying rheumatic disease itself often includes an increased risk of infections and some patients additionally present with immunological or organic comorbidities (e.g. complement deficiency and interstitial pulmonary disease) further increasing the susceptibility to infections. The presented review is based on an analysis of the currently available literature proposing a checklist of diagnostic procedures and immunological laboratory tests specific for the detection of patients prone to infections. The combined stratification of the underlying disease, comorbidities and the immunological mechanisms of the medication enables (1) an individual risk stratification of planned immunosuppressive therapy and (2) a prediction of the risks of infection for the patient.

[Medicinal prophylaxis during intensified immunosuppression in children and adolescents : part 2]. / Medikamentöse Prophylaxe während intensivierter Immunsuppression bei Kindern und Jugendlichen : Teil 2.

The goal of modern antirheumatic therapy is to achieve an optimized disease control. This is individually achieved by an intensified immunosuppression (IS) frequently combining different immunosuppressive agents. Intensified IS should be accompanied by a standardized protocol to monitor immunological changes in the patient. This should include checklists (see Part 1 Screening during intensified IS in children and adolescents). An individual risk stratification according to the planned IS allows a prediction of infectious disease risks for the patient and, thus, individual infection prophylaxis. In addition, standardized management of patients with fever while receiving intensified IS may prevent further complications.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from matched unrelated donors in chronic granulomatous disease.

We report on 12 patients with chronic granulomatous disease transplanted with hematopoietic stem cells from matched unrelated (n = 9) or matched sibling donors (n = 3). The most common infectious complication was pulmonary aspergillosis, which nine patients had previously developed. Only 5 of 12 individuals had normal lung function prior to transplantation. At a mean follow-up of 53 months 9 of the 12 patients are alive including 7 of 9 following matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplantation. One patient died from ARDS, another from systemic BK virus infection, the third from complications of chronic graft-versus-host disease. Seven of nine surviving patients have normal lung function now. HSCT from a MUD is an option worth considering when no matched family donor is available. Restricted lung function prior to HSCT does not appear to be a limiting factor for such treatment.