Monitoring of Adverse Events and Safety in Autoinflammatory Diseases: Real-Life Data from the Eurofever Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The study is aimed to evaluate the impact of safety events in the Eurofever registry for Autoinflammatory diseases. METHODS: This was a retrospective and longitudinal observational multicentre study. Data were retrieved from the international registry Eurofever, starting patients' enrolment since 2009. All moderate, severe, or very severe AEs reported by treating physician in Eurofever were analyzed regardless of a possible suspected causal relationship to any therapies and according to the latest release of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. RESULTS: Complete information on safety were available in 2464 patients enrolled in the registry. In 1499 of them retrospective data encompassing the period from disease onset to enrolment were available, whereas 965 consecutive patients entered in the longitudinal part of the study. A total of 479 AEs have been reported in 275 patients. Eighty-two AEs were reported as serious and 99 were drug-related according to the physicians. Infections or infestations (94; 19.6%), gastrointestinal disorders (66; 13.8%), nervous system disorders (41; 8.6%) and systemic disorders or administration site reactions (35; 7.3%) were the most frequent reported events. The highest absolute number of drug-related AEs were related to biologic DMARDs (40/99 reports, 40,4%) and colchicine (31/99 reports, 31.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Present study shows the importance of a longitudinal and homogeneous registration of the AEs in rare conditions, with a particular focus on the safety profile of the treatments used in these conditions.

The HyperPed-COVID international registry: Impact of age of onset, disease presentation and geographical distribution on the final outcome of MIS-C.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to establish an international multicenter registry to collect data on patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), in order to highlight a relationship between clinical presentation, age of onset and geographical distribution on the clinical outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective study involving different international societies for rare immunological disorders.1009 patients diagnosed with MIS-C between March and September 2022, from 48 centers and 22 countries were collected. Five age groups (<1, 1-4, 5-11, 12-16, >16 years) and four geographic macro-areas, Western Europe, Central-Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asian-African resource-limited countries (LRC), were identified. RESULTS: Time to referral was significantly higher in LRC. Intensive anti-inflammatory treatment, including biologics, respiratory support and mechanic ventilation were more frequently used in older children and in European countries. The mortality rate was higher in very young children (<1 year), in older patients (>16 years of age) and in LRC. Multivariate analysis identified the residence in LRC, presence of severe cardiac involvement, renal hypertension, lymphopenia and non-use of heparin prophylaxis, as the factors most strongly associated with unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The stratification of patients by age and geographic macro-area provided insights into the clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of MIS-C. The mortality and sequelae rates exhibited a correlation with the age and geographical areas. Patients admitted and treated in LRC displayed more severe outcomes, possibly due to delays in hospital admission and limited access to biologic drugs and to intensive care facilities.

Early anakinra treatment improves cardiac outcome of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, regardless of disease severity.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to define the best treatment option for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and to analyse the role of anakinra. METHODS: This is a multicentre retrospective cohort study. Patients were treated according to the attending physician's decision. The patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the first treatment at time of admittance: (i) IVIG, (ii) IVIG and methylprednisolone (≤2 mg/kg/day), (iii) IVIG with high-dose methylprednisolone (>2 mg/kg/day) and (iv) anakinra with or without IVIG and/or methylprednisolone. Primary outcomes were defined as the presence of at least one of the following features: death, the failure of initial treatment, meaning the need for additional treatment for clinical worsening and cardiac involvement at the end of follow-up. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-nine patients were recruited. At univariate analysis, persistent heart involvement at discharge was more frequent in those not receiving anakinra as initial treatment (3/21 vs 66/189; P = 0.047). After comparisons between the four treatment regimens, adjusting for the propensity score, we observed that early treatment with anakinra was associated with a lower probability of developing persistent heart disease at the end of follow-up (odds ratio: 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-1.0). CONCLUSION: We report that early treatment with anakinra is safe and very effective in patients with severe MIS-C. In addition, our study suggests that early treatment with anakinra is the most favourable option for patients with a higher risk of developing a severe disease outcome.

Uveitis as predictor of disease flare after the first anti-TNF withdrawal in oligoarticular and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a multicentric Italian experience.

OBJECTIVES: TNF inhibitors (TNFi) have dramatically changed the prognosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), but it is not clear how and when to stop therapy. We aim to describe a multicentric cohort of JIA treated with adalimumab or etanercept who discontinued the treatment for persistent inactivity and to identify factors associated with relapse. METHODS: In a multicentric Italian retrospective cohort study, medical records of patients with oligoarticular and polyarticular JIA were evaluated if they stopped therapy for persistent inactivity after the first TNFi. RESULTS: 136 patients were enrolled (102 female, median age at onset 3 years (range 1-15), of whom 55.9% had oligoarticular JIA, 40.4% uveitis and 72.8% ANA positivity. Adalimumab (59.3%) and etanercept (40.7%) were started at a median age of 6 years (range 1-16), TNFi were discontinued after a median time of 30 months (range 6-90), increasing the interval (76.5%), reducing the dose (18.4%) and abrupt discontinuation (16.9%). 79.4% of patients relapsed after a median time of 5 months (range 0.5-66). Patients with uveitis relapsed earlier (log rank χ² 16.4 p<0.0001), while patients who lengthened the interval of administration showed a later relapse (log rank χ² 6.95 p=0.008). Uveitis (HR 2.11 CI 1.34-3.31), age at onset (HR 0.909 CI 0.836-0.987), duration of tapering (HR 0.938 CI 0.893-0.985) and to have a persistent oligoarticular JIA (HR 0.597 CI 0.368-0.968) are significant predictors of disease relapse (Mantel-Cox χ² 34.23 p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger age at onset, uveitis, duration of tapering, and non-persistent oligoarticular JIA seem to be independent risk factors for earlier relapse after the first TNFi withdrawal.

Current Transition Practice for Primary Immunodeficiencies and Autoinflammatory Diseases in Europe: a RITA-ERN Survey.

BACKGROUND: Due to the absence of curative treatments for inborn errors of immunity (IEI), children born with IEI require long-term follow-up for disease manifestations and related complications that occur over the lifespan. Effective transition from pediatric to adult services is known to significantly improve adherence to treatment and long-term outcomes. It is currently not known what transition services are available for young people with IEI in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To understand the prevalence and practice of transition services in Europe for young people with IEI, encompassing both primary immunodeficiencies (PID) and systemic autoinflammatory disorders (AID). METHODS: A survey was generated by the European Reference Network on immunodeficiency, autoinflammatory, and autoimmune diseases Transition Working Group and electronically circulated, through professional networks, to pediatric centers across Europe looking after children with IEI. RESULTS: Seventy-six responses were received from 52 centers, in 45 cities across 17 different countries. All services transitioned patients to adult services, mainly to specialist PID or AID centers, typically transferring up to ten patients to adult care each year. The transition process started at a median age of 16-18 years with transfer to the adult center occurring at a median age of 18-20 years. 75% of PID and 68% of AID centers held at least one joint appointment with pediatric and adult services prior to the transfer of care. Approximately 75% of PID and AID services reported having a defined transition process, but few centers reported national disease-specific transition guidelines to refer to. CONCLUSIONS: Transition services for children with IEI in Europe are available in many countries but lack standardized guidelines to promote best practice.

Development and Initial Validation of the ONCOREUM Score to Differentiate Childhood Cancer with Arthropathy from Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a weighted score, the ONCOREUM score, that aids physicians in differentiation of cancer with arthropathy from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). STUDY DESIGN: Data were extracted from the ONCOREUM Study, a multicenter, cross-sectional investigation aimed at comparing children with cancer and arthropathy to children with JIA. Three statistical approaches were applied to develop the ONCOREUM score and assess the role of each variable in the diagnosis of cancer with arthropathy, including 2 approaches based on multivariable stepwise selection (models 1 and 2) and 1 approach on a Bayesian model averaging method (model 3). The ß coefficients estimated in the models were used to assign score points. Considering that not missing a child with cancer is a mandatory clinical objective, discriminating performance was assessed by fixing sensitivity at 100%. Score performance was evaluated in both developmental and validation samples (representing 80% and 20% of the study population, respectively). RESULTS: Patients with cancer and arthropathy (49 with solid tumors and 46 with hematologic malignancies without peripheral blasts) and 677 patients with JIA were included. The highest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) in the validation data set was yielded by model 1, which was selected to constitute the ONCOREUM score. The score ranged from -18 to 21.8, and the optimal cutoff obtained through ROC analysis was -6. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the cutoff in the validation sample were 100%, 70%, and 0.85, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ONCOREUM score is a powerful and easily applicable tool that may facilitate early differentiation of malignancies with articular complaints from JIA.

Pediatric Recurrent Pericarditis: Appropriateness of the Standard of Care and Response to IL-1 Blockade.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze, in a cohort of pediatric patients with recurrent pericarditis undergoing anti-interleukin (IL)-1 treatment: the agent and dosing used as first-line treatment, the long-term efficacy of IL-1 blockers, the percentage of patients achieving a drug-free remission, and the presence of variables associated with drug-free remission. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected from patients' charts. The annualized relapse rate (ARR) was used for evaluation of treatment efficacy, and bivariate logistic regression analysis was used for variables associated with drug-free remission. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients, treated between 2008 and 2018, were included in the study (mean follow-up. 2.6 years). Of the 56 patients treated with first-line drugs, 14 not responsive patients were underdosed. Fifty-seven patients were treated with anakinra: the ARR before and during daily treatment was 3.05 and 0.28, respectively (P < .0001); an increase to 0.83 was observed after the reduction/withdrawal of treatment (P < .0001). The switch from anakinra to canakinumab (5 patients) was associated to an increase of the ARR (0.49 vs 1.46), but without statistical significance (P = .215). At last follow-up, only 9 of the 58 patients had withdrawn all treatments. With the limits of a retrospective study and the heterogeneity between the patients enrolled in the study, a shorter duration of treatment with anakinra was the only variable associated with drug-free remission. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that most pediatric patients with recurrent pericarditis needing IL-1 blockade received an inadequate treatment with first-line agents. The effectiveness of anakinra is supported by this study, but few patients achieved drug-free remission. The different rate of response to anakinra and canakinumab may suggest a possible role of IL-1α in the pathogenesis of recurrent pericarditis.

TNFRSF1A-pR92Q variant identifies a subset of patients more similar to systemic undifferentiated recurrent fever than TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical phenotype and response to treatment of autoinflammatory disease (AID) patients with the TNFRSF1A-pR92Q variant compared to patients with tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) due to pathogenic mutations in the same gene and patients diagnosed with other recurrent fever syndromes including periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) and syndrome of undefined recurrent fever (SURF). METHODS: Clinical data from pR92Q variant associated AID, classical TRAPS, PFAPA and SURF patients were obtained from the Eurofever registry, an international, multicentre registry enabling retrospective collection of data on AID patients. RESULTS: In this study, 361 patients were enrolled, including 77 pR92Q variant, 72 classical TRAPS, 152 PFAPA and 60 SURF patients. pR92Q carriers had an older age of disease onset than classical TRAPS and PFAPA patients. Compared to pR92Q variant patients, classical TRAPS patients had more relatives affected and were more likely to have migratory rash and AA-amyloidosis. Despite several differences in disease characteristics and symptoms between pR92Q variant and PFAPA patients, part of the pR92Q variant patients experienced PFAPA-like symptoms. pR92Q variant and SURF patients showed a comparable clinical phenotype. No major differences were observed in response to treatment between the four patient groups. Steroids were most often prescribed and effective in the majority of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AID carrying the TNFRSF1A-pR92Q variant behave more like SURF patients and differ from patients diagnosed with classical TRAPS and PFAPA in clinical phenotype. Hence, they should no longer be diagnosed as having TRAPS and management should differ accordingly.

Cardiac MRI in midterm follow-up of MISC: a multicenter study.

In this multicenter retrospective study we aimed to evaluate the outcome of cardiac involvement in children affected by multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), assessed through cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Children referring to three Italian tertiary pediatric centers between February 2020 and November 2021 with a diagnosis of MIS-C, who underwent CMR during a follow-up visit, were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data were collected. Twenty MIS-C patients (aged 9-17, median 12 years) were included in the study. Heart involvement at onset was testified by hypotension/shock (55%), laboratory evidence of myocardial involvement (100%), reduced LV ejection fraction (EF) on echocardiography (83%), and/or need for inotrope agents (40%); they all presented good clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic response to treatment. CMR was performed after a median interval of 3 months from discharge. Pericardial effusion and myocardial edema were found in 5% of patients. Mild residual left ventricular (LV) dysfunction was found in 20% of patients, all showing normal echocardiographic LVEF at discharge. Minimal myocardial scars were found in 25% by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). One patient was evaluated at two consecutive time points, showing partial resolution of a myocardial scar after 7 months from its first finding. CONCLUSION: Despite the severity of heart involvement in the acute MIS-C phase, the mid-term cardiac outcome is good. Direct cardiac tissue viral invasion may be involved in MIS-C pathogenesis. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Heart involvement is common in MIS-C, but conflicting findings have been shown regarding cardiac outcome when assessed through cardiac MRI. WHAT IS NEW: • Midterm cardiac MRI shows mild abnormalities in patients recovered from MIS-C with any grade of severity of cardiac involvement at presentation.

OBSIDIAN - real-world evidence of originator to biosimilar drug switch in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Limited data about use of biosimilars (BIOs) are available in children with JIA. This study therefore aimed to evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of switching from etanercept (ETA) and adalimumab (ADA) originators to their biosimilars (BIOs), in children with JIA, in a real-world setting. METHODS: This is a retro-prospective non-interventional multicentre Italian comparative cohort study. Medical charts of JIA children treated with biosimilars of ETA or ADA were included. Efficacy and safety of TNF-inhibitors therapy was evaluated at last follow-up during originator and at 3, 6 and 12 months following the switch to biosimilar. RESULTS: A total of 59 children (42 female, median age at onset 88 months) were treated with biosimilar of ETA (21) and ADA (38). Forty-five switched from the originator to the BIO (17 ETA, 28 ADA). At time of switch, 12/17 patients on ETA and 18/28 on ADA were in remission. No significant difference has been found at 3, 6 and 12 months after the switch. Ten patients discontinued biosimilars due to disease remission (4 ETA, 3 ADA), family willing (1 ETA), occurrence of burning at injection site (1 ETA) and persistent activity (1 ADA). No statistically significant difference was observed between originator and BIOs, nor between originator and BIOs, and between ADA and ETA in time to disease remission achievement, time to relapse and number of patients who experienced adverse event (AE). CONCLUSION: Our real-life results seem to confirm the efficacy and safety profile of switching from originator of ADA and ETA to their respective BIOs, also in paediatric patients with JIA.

Increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease on etanercept in juvenile idiopathic arthritis regardless of concomitant methotrexate use.

OBJECTIVE: To describe risk factors for IBD development in a cohort of children with JIA. METHODS: JIA patients who developed IBD were identified from the international Pharmachild register. Characteristics were compared between IBD and non-IBD patients and predictors of IBD were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Incidence rates of IBD events on different DMARDs were calculated, and differences between therapies were expressed as relative risks (RR). RESULTS: Out of 8942 patients, 48 (0.54% ) developed IBD. These were more often male (47.9% vs 32.0%) and HLA-B27 positive (38.2% vs 21.0%) and older at JIA onset (median 8.94 vs 5.33 years) than patients without IBD development. They also had more often a family history of autoimmune disease (42.6% vs 24.4%) and enthesitis-related arthritis (39.6% vs 10.8%). The strongest predictors of IBD on multivariable analysis were enthesitis-related arthritis [odds ratio (OR): 3.68, 95% CI: 1.41, 9.40] and a family history of autoimmune disease (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.12, 4.54). Compared with methotrexate monotherapy, the incidence of IBD on etanercept monotherapy (RR: 7.69, 95% CI: 1.99, 29.74), etanercept with methotrexate (RR: 5.70, 95% CI: 1.42, 22.77) and infliximab (RR: 7.61, 95% CI: 1.27, 45.57) therapy was significantly higher. Incidence on adalimumab was not significantly different (RR: 1.45, 95% CI: 0.15, 13.89). CONCLUSION: IBD in JIA was associated with enthesitis-related arthritis and a family history of autoimmune disease. An increased IBD incidence was observed for etanercept therapy regardless of concomitant methotrexate use.

Canakinumab for the Treatment of Autoinflammatory Recurrent Fever Syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency (also known as the hyperimmunoglobulinemia D syndrome), and the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) are monogenic autoinflammatory diseases characterized by recurrent fever flares. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with genetically confirmed colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency, or TRAPS at the time of a flare to receive 150 mg of canakinumab subcutaneously or placebo every 4 weeks. Patients who did not have a resolution of their flare received an add-on injection of 150 mg of canakinumab. The primary outcome was complete response (resolution of flare and no flare until week 16). In the subsequent phase up to week 40, patients who had a complete response underwent a second randomization to receive canakinumab or placebo every 8 weeks. Patients who underwent a second randomization and had a subsequent flare and all other patients received open-label canakinumab. RESULTS: At week 16, significantly more patients receiving canakinumab had a complete response than those receiving placebo: 61% vs. 6% of patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever (P<0.001), 35% versus 6% of those with mevalonate kinase deficiency (P=0.003), and 45% versus 8% of those with TRAPS (P=0.006). The inclusion of patients whose dose was increased to 300 mg every 4 weeks yielded a complete response in 71% of those with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, 57% of those with mevalonate kinase deficiency, and 73% of those with TRAPS. After week 16, an extended dosing regimen (every 8 weeks) maintained disease control in 46% of patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, 23% of those with mevalonate kinase deficiency, and 53% of those with TRAPS. Among patients who received canakinumab, the most frequently reported adverse events were infections (173.3, 313.5, and 148.0 per 100 patient-years among patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, those with mevalonate kinase deficiency, and those with TRAPS, respectively), with a few being serious infections (6.6, 13.7, and 0.0 per 100 patient-years). CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, canakinumab was effective in controlling and preventing flares in patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency, and TRAPS. (Funded by Novartis; CLUSTER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02059291 .).

Immunoglobulin D enhances immune surveillance by activating antimicrobial, proinflammatory and B cell-stimulating programs in basophils.

Immunoglobulin D (IgD) is an enigmatic antibody isotype that mature B cells express together with IgM through alternative RNA splicing. Here we report active T cell-dependent and T cell-independent IgM-to-IgD class switching in B cells of the human upper respiratory mucosa. This process required activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and generated local and circulating IgD-producing plasmablasts reactive to respiratory bacteria. Circulating IgD bound to basophils through a calcium-mobilizing receptor that induced antimicrobial, opsonizing, inflammatory and B cell-stimulating factors, including cathelicidin, interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-4 and B cell-activating factor (BAFF), after IgD crosslinking. By showing dysregulation of IgD class-switched B cells and 'IgD-armed' basophils in autoinflammatory syndromes with periodic fever, our data indicate that IgD orchestrates an ancestral surveillance system at the interface between immunity and inflammation.

Drug survival of anakinra and canakinumab in monogenic autoinflammatory diseases: observational study from the International AIDA Registry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate survival of IL-1 inhibitors in monogenic autoinflammatory disorders (mAID) through drug retention rate (DRR) and identify potential predictive factors of drug survival from a real-life perspective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study analysing patients affected by the most common mAID treated with anakinra or canakinumab. Survival curves were analysed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical analysis included a Cox-proportional hazard model to detect factors responsible for drug discontinuation. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients for a total of 102 treatment regimens were enrolled. The mean treatment duration was 29.59 months. The estimated DRR of IL-1 inhibitors at 12, 24 and 48 months of follow-up was 75.8%, 69.7% and 51.1%, respectively. Patients experiencing an adverse event had a significantly lower DRR (P=0.019). In contrast, no significant differences were observed between biologic-naïve patients and those previously treated with biologic drugs (P=0.985). Patients carrying high-penetrance mutations exhibited a significantly higher DRR compared with those with low-penetrance variants (P=0.015). Adverse events were the only variable associated with a higher hazard of treatment withdrawal [hazard ratio (HR) 2.573 (CI: 1.223, 5.411), P=0.013] on regression analysis. A significant glucorticoid-sparing effect was observed (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: IL-1 inhibitors display an excellent long-term effectiveness in terms of DRR, and their survival is not influenced by the biologic line of treatment. They display a favourable safety profile, which deserves, however, a close monitoring given its impact on treatment continuation. Special attention should be paid to molecular diagnosis and mutation penetrance, as patients carrying low-penetrance variants are more likely to interrupt treatment.

Paediatric MAS/HLH caused by a novel monoallelic activating mutation in p110δ.

This study provides evidence for the first time for APDS-1 presenting as MAS/HLH, with evident clinical implications in patient's management and prognosis.

Prevalence of cranial involvement in a cohort of Italian patients with chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is a non-infectious inflammatory disease characterised by uni- or multi-focal bone lytic lesions. CNO mainly affects metaphysis of long bones, pelvis and shoulder girdle. Neurocranium lesions are extremely rare. The objective of the study is to describe the prevalence and clinical manifestations of CNO patients with neurocranium involvement in an Italian cohort of CNO patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. Medical records of patients with CNO admitted to eight paediatric rheumatology centres were reviewed. RESULTS: Among 86 patients with CNO enrolled in the study, three of them were female and presented neurocranium involvement - multifocal lesions. Two out of the 3 patients were completely asymptomatic for cranial involvement, while one of the 3 complained of cranial bossing. Cranial involvement was detected with bone scintigraphy and then confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography. Two patients presented fever and two with skin manifestations. Laboratory inflammatory markers were increased in two of them. All patients underwent bone biopsy confirming the diagnosis. They all received NSAIDs. Two patients received corticosteroids and then methotrexate and achieved clinical remission, while one patient received pamidronate. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of neurocranium involvement in a cohort of patients affected by CNO. In our cohort no patient showed significant signs attributable to cranial involvement.

Role of Colchicine Treatment in Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Associated Periodic Syndrome (TRAPS): Real-Life Data from the AIDA Network.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the potential role of colchicine monotherapy in patients with tumor necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) in terms of control of clinical and laboratory manifestations. METHODS: Patients with TRAPS treated with colchicine monotherapy were retrospectively enrolled; demographic, clinical and therapeutic data were collected and statistically analysed after having clustered patients according to different times at disease onset, penetrance of mutations, dosage of colchicine, and different disease manifestations. RESULTS: 24 patients (14 males; 15 with pediatric disease onset) treated with colchicine monotherapy were enrolled. Colchicine resulted in a complete response in 3 (12.5%) cases, partial response in 14 (58.3%) patients, and lack of response in 7 (29.2%) patients. There were not significant differences in colchicine response between pediatric and adult disease onset (p = 0.42), between low- and high-penetrance mutations (p = 0.62), and according to different dosages (p = 0.66). No significant differences were identified in the frequency of specific disease manifestations between patients experiencing any response to colchicine and patients with lack of response. CONCLUSIONS: Colchicine monotherapy is useful in a low percentage of TRAPS patients; nevertheless, it could be attempted in patients with milder phenotypes and at a lower risk of developing reactive amyloidosis.

Clinical Features at Onset and Genetic Characterization of Pediatric and Adult Patients with TNF-α Receptor-Associated Periodic Syndrome (TRAPS): A Series of 80 Cases from the AIDA Network.

This study explores demographic, clinical, and therapeutic features of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) in a cohort of 80 patients recruited from 19 Italian referral Centers. Patients' data were collected retrospectively and then analyzed according to age groups (disease onset before or after 16 years) and genotype (high penetrance (HP) and low penetrance (LP) TNFRSF1A gene variants). Pediatric- and adult-onset were reported, respectively, in 44 and 36 patients; HP and LP variants were found, respectively, in 32 and 44 cases. A positive family history for recurrent fever was reported more frequently in the pediatric group than in the adult group (p < 0.05). With reference to clinical features during attacks, pericarditis and myalgia were reported more frequently in the context of adult-onset disease than in the pediatric age (with p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), while abdominal pain was present in 84% of children and in 25% of adults (p < 0.01). Abdominal pain was significantly associated also to the presence of HP mutations (p < 0.01), while oral aphthosis was more frequently found in the LP variant group (p < 0.05). Systemic amyloidosis occurred in 25% of subjects carrying HP variants. As concerns laboratory features, HP mutations were significantly associated to higher ESR values (p < 0.01) and to the persistence of steadily elevated inflammatory markers during asymptomatic periods (p < 0.05). The presence of mutations involving a cysteine residue, abdominal pain, and lymphadenopathy during flares significantly correlated with the risk of developing amyloidosis and renal impairment. Conversely, the administration of colchicine negatively correlated to the development of pathologic proteinuria (p < 0.05). Both NSAIDs and colchicine were used as monotherapy more frequently in the LP group compared to the HP group (p < 0.01). Biologic agents were prescribed to 49 (61%) patients; R92Q subjects were more frequently on NSAIDs monotherapy than other patients (p < 0.01); nevertheless, they required biologic therapy in 53.1% of cases. At disease onset, the latest classification criteria for TRAPS were fulfilled by 64/80 (80%) patients (clinical plus genetic items) and 46/80 (57.5%) patients (clinical items only). No statistically significant differences were found in the sensitivity of the classification criteria according to age at onset and according to genotype (p < 0.05). This study describes one of the widest cohorts of TRAPS patients in the literature, suggesting that the clinical expression of this syndrome is more influenced by the penetrance of the mutation rather than by the age at onset itself. Given the high phenotypic heterogeneity of the disease, a definite diagnosis should rely on both accurate working clinical assessment and complementary genotype.

Clinical and Laboratory Features of 184 Italian Pediatric Patients Affected with Selective IgA Deficiency (SIgAD): a Longitudinal Single-Center Study.

PURPOSE: Selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) is the most common humoral primary immunodeficiency. Long-term follow-up data in large cohort of pediatric patients are scarce. METHODS: We report on a single-center cohort of 184 pediatric patients affected with selective IgA deficiency and describe the characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up. RESULTS: Respiratory infections were the most common clinical finding leading to the initial diagnosis (62%). Positive family history for antibody deficiencies (selective IgA deficiency, common variable immunodeficiency) led to SIgAD diagnosis in 16% of cases. During follow-up, while the incidence of respiratory infections was not particularly high, gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in 27% of patients. Allergic manifestations were found in 23% at diagnosis and an additional 16% of patients during follow-up, leading to a prevalence of atopy of 39% among SIgAD patients. Autoimmune manifestations, excluding celiac disease, were found in 9% of affected patients during follow-up. Celiac disease was found in a high prevalence (14%). Increase of serum IgA levels to partial deficiency (9%) and normal serum levels for age (4%) was observed during follow-up. A small percentage of patients (2%) progressed to common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this is the first study to describe a large single-center pediatric cohort of patients affected with SIgAD, revealing that overall most patients do well with regard to infections. Many develop CD, at a rate much higher than the general population. A few normalize their IgA levels. A few progress to CVID. Thus, careful follow-up is suggested to diagnose and treat potential complications earlier for avoiding potential morbidities.

Transitional care of young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Italy: results of a Delphi consensus survey.

OBJECTIVES: To present the results of a Delphi consensus survey among Italian paediatric and adult rheumatologists on transitional care (TC) of young people (YP) with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: A taskforce of 27 paediatric and adult rheumatologists evaluated the applicability of the 2016 EULAR/PReS recommendations for TC to the Italian rheumatology practice and healthcare system and formulated additional country-specific statements aimed to increase their suitability. After a two-round discussion, applicability of EULAR/PReS recommendations and agreement with newly-proposed statements were voted on a 0-10 scale (where 0 = no applicability/agreement and 10 = total applicability/agreement). A mean level of agreement ≥8 was deemed acceptable. RESULTS: The consensus threshold was reached for only 4 of the 12 EULAR/PReS recommendations and for 25 of the 27 country-specific statements. Poor agreement with EULAR/PReS recommendations was mostly explained by paucity of centres in Italy that possess both paediatric and adult rheumatologists, disagreement about optimal time of transition start and de nition of transition coordinator, diversity between paediatric and adult clinimetric assessments, and lack of administrative and financial support. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus initiative represents an important step forward toward the establishment of a nationwide TC network for YP with JIA in Italy. The main goals established for the future are the identification of adult rheumatology centres that are willing to participate in the TC process, the education of adult rheumatology teams on childhood-onset rheumatic diseases and transition issues, and the increased awareness of public healthcare authorities and other stakeholders about the importance of good-quality TC.