Adalimumab with or without methotrexate in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has a pathogenic role in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of adalimumab, a fully human monoclonal anti-TNF antibody, in children with polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Patients 4 to 17 years of age with active juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who had previously received treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs underwent stratification according to methotrexate use and received 24 mg of adalimumab per square meter of body-surface area (maximum dose, 40 mg) subcutaneously every other week for 16 weeks. We randomly assigned patients with an American College of Rheumatology Pediatric 30% (ACR Pedi 30) response at week 16 to receive adalimumab or placebo in a double-blind fashion every other week for up to 32 weeks. RESULTS: Seventy-four percent of patients not receiving methotrexate (64 of 86) and 94% of those receiving methotrexate (80 of 85) had an ACR Pedi 30 response at week 16 and were eligible for double-blind treatment. Among patients not receiving methotrexate, disease flares (the primary outcome) occurred in 43% of those receiving adalimumab and 71% of those receiving placebo (P=0.03). Among patients receiving methotrexate, flares occurred in 37% of those receiving adalimumab and 65% of those receiving placebo (P=0.02). At 48 weeks, the percentages of patients treated with methotrexate who had ACR Pedi 30, 50, 70, or 90 responses were significantly greater for those receiving adalimumab than for those receiving placebo; the differences between patients not treated with methotrexate who received adalimumab and those who received placebo were not significant. Response rates were sustained after 104 weeks of treatment. Serious adverse events possibly related to adalimumab occurred in 14 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Adalimumab therapy seems to be an efficacious option for the treatment of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00048542.)

Hyper IgG4-Related Disease Presenting with Orbital Tumor and Immune Deficiency.

We report a case of IgG4-RD in a patient with high IgG4 levels, low functional antibodies, and low IgM levels. He presented with bilateral orbital pseudotumors and, after initial improvement on corticosteroids, relapsed with recurrent pleural effusion and pelvic pseudotumor. He had a grossly elevated serum IgG (1905 mg/dl) with elevations in all IgG subclasses but marked elevation in IgG4 (412 mg/dl), low IgM, and low pneumococcal antibodies. Orbital mass biopsy showed polyclonal lymphocytic infiltration and increased IgG4 plasma cells. The patient was started on prednisone and tried several immunosuppressive medications including mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and azathioprine with decrease in size of the orbital pseudotumor. During a period when the patient stopped his medications, the pseudotumor enlarged with new development of recurrent pleural effusions. He was also found to have a pelvic mass that was biopsy positive for IgG4 proliferation. This case with progression to multiorgan involvement highlights the importance of identifying patients with IgG4-related disease. In contrast to previous cases with normal-to-high IgM, the IgM was low with impaired functional antibodies.

Electronically monitored adherence to medications by newly diagnosed patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe patterns of adherence to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in newly diagnosed patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), and to examine demographic and disease-related variables as potential predictors of adherence. METHODS: Adherence to NSAIDs was monitored in 48 children with JRA (mean age 8.6 years) over 28 consecutive days using an electronic monitoring device. Measures of disease activity (active joint counts, morning stiffness) and demographics (age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status) were also obtained. RESULTS: Using an 80% adherence cut point, 25 (52%) patients were classified as adherent and 23 (48%) as nonadherent. There was considerable variability across patients, with full adherence (taking all doses on time) ranging from 0 to 100% of the monitored days. Logistic regression showed that active joint count and socioeconomic status were the only significant predictors. Both were positively related to adherence. The model correctly classified 70.5% of patients as either adherent or nonadherent (Cox and Snell R(2) = 0.295, P = 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Children newly diagnosed with JRA are more likely to adhere to an NSAID regimen if they have a greater number of active joints or their families have higher socioeconomic status. The former finding suggests that children's adherence is symptom-driven, while the latter suggests that families of lower socioeconomic status deserve special attention to address adherence issues.

Daily hassles and social support as predictors of adjustment in children with pediatric rheumatic disease.

OBJECTIVE: To test hypotheses that social support moderates the effects of microstressors on the psychosocial adjustment of children with pediatric rheumatic diseases (PRDs) and that among multiple sources of support, classmate and parent support are significant predictors of adjustment, after controlling for demographic and disease severity variables. METHODS: Children with PRDs (N = 160 children; 8-17 years) were recruited from three pediatric rheumatology centers and completed measures of daily hassles, social support, depressive symptoms, and state and trait anxiety; their parents completed measures of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. RESULTS: Fewer daily hassles and higher social support predicted fewer adjustment problems. Among the sources of support, classmate and parent support were significant predictors. Tests for moderation were significant only for a Hassles x Classmate Support interaction in the prediction of depression. A plot of the interaction between hassles and classmate support showed that children with high classmate support had lower levels of depression than children with low classmate support under high or low levels of daily hassles. Furthermore, children with high classmate support had lower levels of depression under conditions of low versus high daily hassles. DISCUSSION: Results are consistent with a main effect rather than buffering model for social support. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions should focus on management of daily hassles and increasing social support for children with PRDs.