Disease activity accounts for long-term efficacy of IL-1 blockers in pyogenic sterile arthritis pyoderma gangrenosum and severe acne syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a rationale for anti-IL-1 treatment in pyogenic sterile arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne (PAPA) by defining whether IL-1ß secretion is enhanced; requires NLRP3; and correlates with proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1 mutations, disease activity and/or the clinical picture in PAPA. METHODS: Monocytes were isolated from 13 patients and 35 healthy donors and studied at baseline and following activation. Secretion pattern of IL-1ß, IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-18 and TNF-α was assessed in supernatants by ELISA. The NLRP3 requirement for IL-1ß secretion was investigated by silencing technique in PAPA and healthy donor monocytes. Long-term follow-up (mean 26 months, range 4-38) was performed in five patients enrolled in an anti-IL-1 regimen. RESULTS: IL-1ß secretion in PAPA is increased, requires NLRP3 and correlates with disease activity. Patients with a history of osteoarticular flares release more IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α compared with those with predominant cutaneous recurrences. Monocytes from patients in anti-IL-1 treatment dramatically reduced IL-1ß secretion after ex vivo activation, and long-term follow-up demonstrated decreased frequency of flares and normalization of acute phase reactants in all the patients. A straightforward correlation between genotype and IL-1ß signalling was not observed suggesting that factors other than mutation itself may play a role in regulating IL-1ß secretion and response to treatment in PAPA. CONCLUSION: PAPA patients with active lesions display increased NLRP3-mediated IL-1ß secretion, and long-term efficacy of IL-1 blockade was demonstrated. Even if other mechanisms related to the complex proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1 protein networking might play additional roles, this study further supports the potential of IL-1 blockade as an effective therapeutic strategy in PAPA syndrome.

Whole-body MRI in the assessment of disease activity in juvenile dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) with clinical examination in the assessment of disease activity in juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). METHODS: WB-MR images were obtained from 41 JDM patients and 41 controls using a 1.5 T MRI scanner and short τ inversion recovery sequences. 18 patients had follow-up WB-MRI. Muscle, subcutaneous tissue and myofascial signal abnormalities were scored in 36 muscular groups and on proximal and distal extremities. WB-MRI and clinical assessments were performed concurrently and results compared. Validation procedures included analysis of feasibility, reliability, construct validity, discriminative ability and responsiveness. RESULTS: WB-MRI revealed distal legs (26/41 patients) and forearm (19/41 patients) muscle inflammation undetected during clinical examination and allowed an accurate assessment of subcutaneous (23/41 patients) and myofascial involvement (13/41 patients). 27 patients showed a patchy distribution of muscle inflammation while in seven the abnormal hyperintense areas tended to be homogeneously distributed. The inter-reader agreement for muscular, subcutaneous and myofascial WB-MRI scores was excellent. Correlations between WB-MRI muscle score and disease activity measures were excellent (Manual Muscle Test: rs=-0.84, Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale: rs=-0.81). WB-MRI score was higher in JDM active patients when compared with the control group (pB<0.0001) and the inactive patients (pB=0.004), and showed an excellent responsiveness (standardised response mean=1.65). Follow-up WB-MRI showed resolution of inflammation in nine patients whereas clinical criteria for remission were satisfied in five. CONCLUSIONS: WB-MRI provides additional information to clinical evaluation and represents a promising tool to estimate total inflammatory burden, tailor treatment and monitor its efficacy.

Cytomegalovirus-related necrotising vasculitis mimicking Henoch-Schönlein syndrome.

Viral vasculitides have been previously reported in the literature, the role of infections in their pathogenesis ranging from direct cause to trigger event. Here we report the case of a 3-year-old immunocompetent girl who developed a systemic vasculitis leading to ileal perforation, mimicking a full blown picture of Henoch-Schönlein purpura. High dosage steroid treatment was started, with good response. The anatomopathological examination of the resected gastrointestinal tract showed features of necrotising vasculitis and cytomegalovirus (CMV)-related inclusion bodies in the endothelial cells, with direct correlation to vascular damage. The causative role of viral infection was revealed by the presence of CMV DNA in patient's blood and positive IgG titer against the virus. Steroid therapy was then tapered: the patient achieved clinical remission, which still persists after a six-months follow-up. Our report suggests that CMV vasculitis is probably more frequent than previously thought, even in immunocompetent patients, with a protean clinical presentation, mimicking other types of vasculitides.

Clinical overview and outcome in a cohort of children with polyarteritis nodosa.

OBJECTIVES: Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare vasculitis in childhood and poor information is known about its long-term outcome. Our aim was to describe the clinical features, at onset and during the disease course, of childhood-onset PAN and identify a potential correlation with persistent organ damage and worse outcome in a cohort of paediatric patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PAN. METHODS: A retrospective collection of demographic and clinical data of 52 Caucasian children diagnosed with PAN, fulfilling the EULAR/PRES diagnostic criteria, recruited from eight paediatric rheumatologic centres and one transition unit, was performed. A statistical correlation was made between clinical involvement at onset or during the overall disease course and patients' final outcome. RESULTS: Data from 52 patients (31 males, 21 females) were collected: their mean age at onset was 7.9 years (median 6.3) and mean follow-up period was 6.2 years (median 5.4). At the last follow-up visit, 27 patients (51.9%) were off therapy in clinical remission, 17 (32.7%) were in clinical remission while on medication, and 6 (11.6%) had a persistent or relapsing disease course. Two patients (3.8%) deceased because of severe cerebral involvement. Cranial nerve palsy during the disease course was significantly correlated with a worse prognosis (p=0.011). The presence of nephrogenic hypertension at onset and seizures during the disease course were significantly associated with the development of irreversible organ damage (p= 0.040 and 0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood PAN is a severe disease with substantial risk of long-term morbidities. In our cohort of patients the worst outcome was significantly correlated with renal and neurological involvement.

Recurrent pericarditis in Myhre syndrome.

Myhre syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by pre- and postnatal short stature, brachydactyly, facial dysmorphism (short palpebral fissures, maxillary hypoplasia, prognathism and short philtrum), thick skin, muscular-appearing body build, decreased joint mobility, mixed hearing loss, and cleft lip and palate. Other clinical features include skeletal dysplasia, developmental delay with intellectual disability and/or behavioral disturbance, cardiac defects, cryptorchidism, and bone anomalies. The disease is caused by recently identified SMAD4 mutations. Here we describe a 7-year-old boy with a molecularly proven Myhre syndrome who presented life-threatening recurrent pericarditis and systemic inflammatory symptoms that required treatment with steroid and recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist.

Development and preliminary validation of a paediatric-targeted MRI scoring system for the assessment of disease activity and damage in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a paediatric-targeted MRI scoring system for the assessment of disease activity and damage in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). To compare the paediatric MRI score with the adult-designed. Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials-Rheumatoid Arthritis MRI Score (RAMRIS), whose suitability for assessing growing joints was tested. METHODS: In 66 patients with JIA the clinically more affected wrist was studied. Thirty-nine patients had a 1-year MRI follow-up. Two readers independently assigned the paediatric score and the RAMRIS to all studies. Validation procedures included analysis of reliability, construct validity and responsiveness to change. A reduced version of the bone erosion score was also developed and tested. RESULTS: The paediatric score showed an excellent reproducibility (interclass correlation coefficient >0.9). The interobserver agreement of RAMRIS was moderate for bone erosions and excellent for bone marrow oedema (BMO). The paediatric score and RAMRIS provided similar results for construct validity. The responsiveness to change of the paediatric score was moderate for synovitis and bone erosion, and poor for BMO and did not improve when RAMRIS was applied. The reduced version of the bone erosion was valuable for the assessment of joint damage, and provided time-saving advantages. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the paediatric MRI score is a reliable and valid method for assessing disease activity and damage in JIA. Unexpectedly, the RAMRIS provides acceptable suitability for use in the paediatric age group. Further work, especially in a longitudinal setting, is required before defining the most suitable MRI scale for assessing growing joints.

Comparison of clinical features and drug therapies among European and Latin American patients with juvenile dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the demographic features, presenting manifestations, diagnostic investigations, disease course, and drug therapies of children with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) followed in Europe and Latin America. METHODS: Patients were inception cohorts seen between 1980 and 2004 in 27 paediatric rheumatology centres. The following information was collected through the review of patient charts: sex; age at disease onset; date of disease onset and diagnosis; onset type; presenting clinical features; diagnostic investigations; course type; and medications received during disease course. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety patients (65.5% females, mean onset age 7.0 years, mean disease duration 7.7 years) were included. Disease presentation was acute or insidious in 57.1% and 42.9% of the patients, respectively. The course type was monophasic in 41.3% of patients and chronic polycyclic or continuous in 58.6% of patients. The more common presenting manifestations were muscle weakness (84.9%), Gottron's papules (72.9%), heliotrope rash (62%), and malar rash (56.7%). Overall, the demographic and clinical features of the 2 continental cohorts were comparable. European patients received more frequently high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, and azathioprine, while methotrexate and antimalarials medications were used more commonly by Latin American physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The demographic and clinical characteristics of JDM are similar in European and Latin American patients. We found, however, several differences in the use of medications between European and Latin American paediatric rheumatologists.

Predictors of poor response to methotrexate in polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis: analysis of the PRINTO methotrexate trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether baseline demographic, clinical, articular and laboratory variables predict methotrexate (MTX) poor response in polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis. METHODS: Patients newly treated for 6 months with MTX enrolled in the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO) MTX trial. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used to identify baseline predictors of poor response according to the American College of Rheumatology pediatric (ACR-ped) 30 and 70 criteria. RESULTS: In all, 405/563 (71.9%) of patients were women; median age at onset and disease duration were 4.3 and 1.4 years, respectively, with anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) detected in 259/537 (48.2%) patients. With multivariate logistic regression analysis, the most important determinants of ACR-ped 70 non-responders were: disease duration > 1.3 years (OR 1.93), ANA negativity (OR 1.77), Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) disability index > 1.125 (OR 1.65) and the presence of right and left wrist activity (OR 1.55). Predictors of ACR-ped 30 non-responders were: ANA negativity (OR 1.92), CHAQ disability index > 1.14 (OR 2.18) and a parent's evaluation of child's overall well-being < or = 4.69 (OR 2.2). CONCLUSION: The subgroup of patients with longer disease duration, ANA negativity, higher disability and presence of wrist activity were significantly associated with a poorer response to a 6-month MTX course.

EULAR/PRINTO/PRES criteria for Henoch-Schönlein purpura, childhood polyarteritis nodosa, childhood Wegener granulomatosis and childhood Takayasu arteritis: Ankara 2008. Part II: Final classification criteria.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the previously proposed classification criteria for Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), childhood polyarteritis nodosa (c-PAN), c-Wegener granulomatosis (c-WG) and c-Takayasu arteritis (c-TA). METHODS: Step 1: retrospective/prospective web-data collection for children with HSP, c-PAN, c-WG and c-TA with age at diagnosis

Treatment of Takayasu's arteritis with tumor necrosis factor antagonists.

Four children with Takayasu's arteritis were treated with tumor necrosis factor antagonists because of disease relapse during conventional therapy or as a first-line agent. Two patients went into remission; in the other 2, the response was partial. Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents can have a role in the treatment of Takayasu's arteritis; further controlled studies are required.

Childhood thalidomide neuropathy: a clinical and neurophysiologic study.

Thalidomide was recently reintroduced to treat several immune-mediated pathologies. Peripheral neuropathy is a significant side effect limiting its clinical use. Our aims include: (1) describing and identifying the incidence of clinical or electrophysiologic peripheral neuropathy in children, (2) determining whether peripheral neuropathy correlates with cumulative dose of thalidomide and with age, and (3) defining its reversibility rate. We studied 13 children manifesting immune-mediated pathologies treated with thalidomide at doses ranging from 25-100 mg/day. Clinical and neurophysiologic evaluation was performed before and after starting treatment. Seven children (53.8%) showed neurophysiologic signs of sensory peripheral axonal polyneuropathy. Five presented associated clinical symptoms, while the other two only presented subclinical, neurophysiologic signs of peripheral neuropathy. We found a significant correlation between the incidence of peripheral neuropathy and thalidomide cumulative dose (P = 0.02). We observed a lower incidence of peripheral neuropathy at a cumulative dose <20 gm, and a correlation with age (P < 0.01). The clinical and electrophysiologic recovery rate was 40%, and clinical improvement alone was observed in another 40%. Thalidomide induces dose-dependent and age-dependent peripheral neuropathy at a significant frequency in childhood (53.8%). In our experience a cumulative dosage at >20 gm and long-term administration for >10 months seem to increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy. We propose clinical and neurophysiologic follow-up every 3 months to identify and monitor possible side effects.

EXTL3 mutations cause skeletal dysplasia, immune deficiency, and developmental delay.

We studied three patients with severe skeletal dysplasia, T cell immunodeficiency, and developmental delay. Whole-exome sequencing revealed homozygous missense mutations affecting exostosin-like 3 (EXTL3), a glycosyltransferase involved in heparan sulfate (HS) biosynthesis. Patient-derived fibroblasts showed abnormal HS composition and altered fibroblast growth factor 2 signaling, which was rescued by overexpression of wild-type EXTL3 cDNA. Interleukin-2-mediated STAT5 phosphorylation in patients' lymphocytes was markedly reduced. Interbreeding of the extl3-mutant zebrafish (box) with Tg(rag2:green fluorescent protein) transgenic zebrafish revealed defective thymopoiesis, which was rescued by injection of wild-type human EXTL3 RNA. Targeted differentiation of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells showed a reduced expansion of lymphohematopoietic progenitor cells and defects of thymic epithelial progenitor cell differentiation. These data identify EXTL3 mutations as a novel cause of severe immune deficiency with skeletal dysplasia and developmental delay and underline a crucial role of HS in thymopoiesis and skeletal and brain development.

Dissecting the heterogeneity of macrophage activation syndrome complicating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To seek insights into the heterogeneity of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) complicating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) through the analysis of a large patient sample collected in a multinational survey. METHODS: International pediatric rheumatologists and hemato-oncologists entered their patient data, collected retrospectively, in a Web-based database. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, histopathologic, therapeutic, and outcome data were analyzed in relation to (1) geographic location of caring hospital, (2) subspecialty of attending physician, (3) demonstration of hemophagocytosis, and (4) severity of clinical course. RESULTS: A total of 362 patients were included by 95 investigators from 33 countries. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features were comparable among patients seen in diverse geographic areas or by different pediatric specialists. Patients seen in North America were given biologics more frequently. Patients entered by pediatric hemato-oncologists were treated more commonly with biologics and etoposide, whereas patients seen by pediatric rheumatologists more frequently received cyclosporine. Patients with demonstration of hemophagocytosis had shorter duration of sJIA at MAS onset, higher prevalence of hepatosplenomegaly, lower levels of platelets and fibrinogen, and were more frequently administered cyclosporine, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and etoposide. Patients with severe course were older, had longer duration of sJIA at MAS onset, had more full-blown clinical picture, and were more commonly given cyclosporine, IVIG, and etoposide. CONCLUSION: The clinical spectrum of MAS is comparable across patients seen in different geographic settings or by diverse pediatric subspecialists. There was a disparity in the therapeutic choices among physicians that underscores the need to establish uniform therapeutic protocols.

Childhood-onset lupus nephritis: a single-center experience of pulse intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy.

BACKGROUND: Evidence is accumulating about the efficacy of pulse intravenous (iv) cyclophosphamide (pCy) treatment for lupus nephritis (LN), but concern still exists on the use of this drug in children, on account of its oncogenic potential and gonadal toxicity. Medical records of 33 LN children were retrospectively analysed in order to assess the effect of treatment with pCy and corticosteroids (Cs) on renal survival and child growth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1974 to 1999, 33 pediatric patients with LN were admitted to our hospital. Clinical and hematological data were recorded for a mean period of eight years (range 1.5-18.9). Two groups of children who received different treatment protocols were compared: 19 were treated with Cs alone or combined with azathioprine (Aza) and 14 received Cs and pCy (0.5 g/m2 monthly); the mean number of Cy infusions was 13 (range 6-27). RESULTS: In the pCy treated group, survival was better, protection of renal function lasted longer, and there were no evident short- and long-term side effects. pCy treated children showed better growth than the other group. Many important factors could have contributed to these positive effects, such as the time of onset of the disease, its duration before referral to the pediatric nephrology unit, year at first admission (mean 1985 Cs +/- AZA group vs 1988 pCy group), renal failure at onset, degree of renal lesion (renal histology not evaluated in 36% of cases). CONCLUSION: pCy treatment in pediatric LN may improve patient and renal survival and seems safe, causing less growth impairment.

Whole-body MRI as an unconventional diagnostic tool in a pediatric patient with systemic infection.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), a tickborne infection usually manifesting as fever, malaise, cytopenia, spleen enlargement, and hepatitis. Herein, we report a case of a 14-year-old girl with HGA whose whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed an unusual picture characterized by small, widespread punctuate millimetric nodules, hypointense on T1-weighted and hyperintense on STIR sequences. This firstly reported finding may represent an alternative tool for identifying atypical infectious diseases.

Factors associated with achievement of inactive disease in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis treated with etanercept.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of inactive disease in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with etanercept, and to identify clinical characteristics associated with attainment of inactive disease. METHODS: Clinical charts of patients who were given etanercept between January 2002 and January 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. For each patient, all visits from initiation of etanercept to the last followup evaluation in which the patient was still receiving etanercept were examined to establish whether the patient had reached the state of inactive disease and to identify the first visit in which inactive disease was documented. Clinical characteristics associated with achievement of inactive disease were determined through univariate analyses and Cox regression procedures. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients who received etanercept for a median of 2.2 years (range 0.5-10.5 yrs) were studied. Eighty-seven patients (50.3%) achieved inactive disease after a median of 0.6 years (range 0.1-2.5 yrs) of therapy. At last followup evaluation, 85 patients (49.1%) still had inactive disease and 70 (40.5%) were in clinical remission on medication. The probability of achievement of inactive disease after 6, 12, and 24 months of therapy was 24%, 46% and 57%, respectively. On Cox regression analysis, the attainment of inactive disease was associated with lack of wrist involvement and an age at disease onset < 3.6 years. CONCLUSION: Around half of our patients with JIA treated with etanercept achieved a state of inactive disease. Children who lacked wrist involvement and were younger at disease onset had a greater likelihood of achieving inactive disease.

Role of IL-1 beta in the development of human T(H)17 cells: lesson from NLPR3 mutated patients.

BACKGROUND: T helper 17 cells (T(H)-17) represent a lineage of effector T cells critical in host defence and autoimmunity. In both mouse and human IL-1ß has been indicated as a key cytokine for the commitment to T(H)-17 cells. Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) are a group of inflammatory diseases associated with mutations of the NLRP3 gene encoding the inflammasome component cryopyrin. In this work we asked whether the deregulated secretion of IL-1ß secondary to mutations characterizing these patients could affect the IL-23/IL-17 axis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 11 CAPS, 26 systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SoJIA) patients and 20 healthy controls were analyzed. Serum levels of IL-17 and IL-6 serum were assessed by ELISA assay. Frequency of T(H)17 cells was quantified upon staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) stimulation. Secretion of IL-1ß, IL-23 and IL-6 by monocyte derived dendritic cells (MoDCs), were quantified by ELISA assay. A total of 8 CAPS and 11 SoJIA patients were also analysed before and after treatment with IL-1ß blockade. Untreated CAPS patients showed significantly increased IL-17 serum levels as well as a higher frequency of T(H)17 compared to control subjects. On the contrary, SoJIA patients displayed a frequency of T(H)17 similar to normal donors, but were found to have significantly increased serum level of IL-6 when compared to CAPS patients or healthy donors. Remarkably, decreased IL-17 serum levels and T(H)17 frequency were observed in CAPS patients following in vivo IL-1ß blockade. On the same line, MoDCs from CAPS patients exhibited enhanced secretion of IL-1ß and IL-23 upon TLRs stimulation, with a reduction after anti-IL-1 treatment. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings further support the central role of IL-1ß in the differentiation of T(H)17 in human inflammatory conditions.

Development and testing of reduced joint counts in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test reduced joint counts in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: Four reduced joint counts including 45, 35, 27, and 10 joints were devised by a panel of experienced pediatric rheumatologists, who selected the joints to be included based on the ease of technical assessment, functional relevance, and frequency of involvement. Three large samples of patients with JIA (total n=4353) who had a detailed joint assessment available were used to develop and test reduced joint counts. Performance of reduced counts was examined by comparing their Spearman correlation with the standard (i.e., complete) joint count. Construct validity was evaluated by calculating Spearman correlation with other JIA outcome measures. Responsiveness to clinical change was determined through the standardized response mean (SRM). RESULTS: Spearman correlations of reduced joint counts with the whole joint count and with the other JIA outcome measures were comparable, revealing that they had similar ability to serve as surrogate for the whole joint count and construct validity. Responsiveness to clinical change was also comparable across reduced counts (SRM 0.83-1.09 for active joint counts and 0.63-0.81 for restricted joint counts). Based on these results and considering the relative feasibility of the different counts, the 27-joint reduced count is proposed for use in JIA. This joint count includes the cervical spine and the elbow, wrist, metacarpophalangeal (from first to third), proximal interphalangeal, hip, knee, and ankle joints. CONCLUSION: Reduced joint counts appear to be as reliable as standard joint counts in assessment of the severity of joint disease and its change over time in children with JIA.