High-sensitive CRP as a predictive marker of long-term outcome in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

To evaluate whether C-reactive protein (CRP), including variation within the normal range, is predictive of long-term disease outcome in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed JIA were included prospectively from defined geographic areas of the Nordic countries from 1997 to 2000. Inclusion criteria were availability of a baseline serum sample within 12 months after disease onset and 8-year clinical assessment data. Systemic onset JIA was not included. CRP was measured by high-sensitive ELISA (detection limit of 0.2 mg/l). One hundred and thirty participants with a median follow-up time of 97 months (range 95-100) were included. At follow-up, 38% of the patients were in remission off medication. Absence of remission was associated with elevated level of CRP at baseline (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.63, p = 0.007). By applying a cutoff at the normal upper limit (>10 mg/l), the risk of not achieving remission was increased to an OR of 8.60 (CI 2.98-24.81, p < 0.001). Variations of CRP within the normal range had no predictive impact on disease activity at follow-up. Baseline levels of ESR were available in 80 patients (61%) and elevated ESR was associated with absence of remission in a multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR 2.32, CI 1.35-4.00, p = 0.002). This results of this study indicate that baseline CRP concentrations above 10 mg/l are predictive of a poor outcome at 8-year follow-up. We could not demonstrate any predictive value of CRP variations within the normal range.

Low pretreatment levels of myeloid-related protein-8/14 and C-reactive protein predict poor adherence to treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Two thirds of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors respond initially, but only about one third of patients achieve clinical remission at follow-up. We evaluated the 1-year response and long-term treatment adherence to TNF inhibitor treatment in JIA patients naive to biologics and investigated if baseline myeloid-related protein (MRP)-8/14 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were predictive of treatment response. One hundred fifty-two patients were included in a unicenter observational, prospective study from 2002 to 2015, excluding patients with systemic-onset JIA. One-year treatment response was evaluated by American College of Rheumatology-pediatric (ACR-ped) and by the number of patients achieving inactive disease (ID). Medical charts were reviewed for reasons of treatment withdrawal. After one year of treatment ACR-ped 30, 50, 70, and 90 were achieved by 61, 55, 38, and 10 % of the patients, and 23 % achieved a status of ID. Treatment adherence: 51 % withdrew from treatment due to lack of clinical effect, while 32 % continued treatment or withdrew due to disease remission. Increased MRP-8/14 concentrations at treatment initiation was associated with ID after 1 year (OR 1.55, CI 1.06-2.25, p = 0.02). Treatment withdrawal due to lack of effect was associated with low baseline levels of both MRP-8/14 (685 vs. 1235 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and CRP (0.75 vs. 2.73 mg/l, p < 0.001), verified by multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR 0.51, CI 0.34-0.77/OR 0.63, CI 0.48-0.83). In conclusion, an association was found between ID after 1 year of treatment and increased baseline levels of MRP-8/14. Furthermore, low baseline MRP-8/14 and CRP concentrations were associated with treatment withdrawal due to lack of clinical effect.

[Rheumatic fever in a four-year-old girl]. / Mitralklapsinsufficiens efter reumatisk feberhos et barn.

Rheumatic fever (RF) is a systemic autoimmune response 2-4 weeks after a tonsillopharyngitis with group A beta-haemolytic Streptococcus. The disease may cause arthritis, carditis, chorea, erythema marginatum and subcutaneous noduli. Due to improved hygiene, living conditions and use of antibiotics, RF is a rare disease in Denmark today. The variable symptoms and low incidence is a diagnostic challenge. In this article, we present a case of RF in a four-year-old girl and provide an overview of diagnostic criteria and treatment.