Juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with positive family history of autoimmune thyroid disease might benefit from serological screening: analysis of the international Pharmachild registry.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the association between juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and therefore there are no indications for AITD screening in this population, which is possible using standard blood tests. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and predictors of symptomatic AITD in JIA patients from the international Pharmachild registry. METHODS: Occurrence of AITD was determined from adverse event forms and comorbidity reports. Associated factors and independent predictors for AITD were determined using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of AITD after a median observation period of 5.5 years was 1.1% (96/8965 patients). Patients who developed AITD were more often female (83.3% vs. 68.0%), RF positive (10.0% vs. 4.3%) and ANA positive (55.7% vs. 41.5%) than patients who did not. AITD patients were furthermore older at JIA onset (median 7.8 years vs. 5.3 years) and had more often polyarthritis (40.6% vs. 30.4%) and a family history of AITD (27.5% vs. 4.8%) compared to non-AITD patients. A family history of AITD (OR = 6.8, 95% CI: 4.1 - 11.1), female sex (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3 - 4.3), ANA positivity (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3 - 3.2) and older age at JIA onset (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1 - 1.2) were independent predictors of AITD on multivariable analysis. Based on our data, 16 female ANA positive JIA patients with a family history of AITD would have to be screened during ±5.5 years using standard blood tests to detect one case of AITD. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to report independent predictor variables for symptomatic AITD in JIA. Female ANA positive JIA patients with positive family history are at increased risk of developing AITD and thus might benefit from yearly serological screening.

Case report: Takayasu arteritis in a newborn, 5-years follow-up

Takayasu Arteritis (TA) is classified as a large vessel vasculitis, it primarily affects aorta and principal branches. The clinical presentation in pediatric patients is odd and there a few literature about it. The case is about a feminine patient hospitalized after birth with diagnosis of patent ductus arterious (PDA), abnormal widening of the descending aorta, aneurysm of the aortic arch. It is kept under close surveillance for 5 years, with imaging improvement in treatment with methotrexate and immunoglobulin, however she presented relapses on two occasions where the caliber decreased in descending aorta and left iliac artery. We can conclude that Identifying AT findings is important for early diagnosis, medical management, and proper monitoring specifically in pediatric patients where little literature is available.

La arteritis de Takayasu (AT) se clasifica como una vasculitis de grandes vasos desarrollándose sobre todo en aorta y ramas principales. Su presentación en pacientes pediátricos es rara y existe muy poca información en la literatura. Se trata de una paciente femenina hospitalizada al nacimiento, a quien se diagnostica ductus arterioso persistente (DAP), dilatación de aorta descendente y aneurisma de arco aórtico. Se mantiene bajo vigilancia estrecha durante cinco arios, con mejoría imagenológica en tratamiento a base metrotexato e inmunoglobulina, sin embargo, presenta recaídas en dos ocasiones, donde se observa disminución del calibre de aorta descendente y arteria iliaca izquierda. Se puede concluir que el identificar los hallazgos de la AT es importante para realizar un diagnóstico temprano, manejo médico oportuno y vigilancia adecuada, en específico en pacientes pediátricos, de quienes se tiene poca información en la literatura.

Absence of Association Between Abatacept Exposure and Initial Infection in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between infection risk and abatacept (ABA) exposure levels in patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) following treatment with subcutaneous (SC) and intravenous (IV) ABA. METHODS: Data from 2 published studies (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01844518, NCT00095173) of ABA treatment in pediatric patients were analyzed. One study treated patients aged 2-17 years with SC ABA and the other treated patients aged 6-17 years with IV ABA. Association between serum ABA exposure measures and infection was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier plots of probability of first infection vs time on treatment by ABA exposure quartiles and log-rank tests. Number of infections by ABA exposure quartiles was investigated. RESULTS: Overall, 343 patients were included in this analysis: 219 patients received SC ABA and 124 patients received IV ABA. Overall, 237/343 (69.1%) patients had ≥ 1 infection over 24 months. No significant difference in time to first infection across 4 quartiles of ABA exposure levels was observed in the pooled (P = 0.45), SC (2-5 yrs: P = 0.93; 6-17 yrs: P = 0.48), or IV (P = 0.50) analyses. Concomitant use of methotrexate and glucocorticoids (at baseline and throughout) with ABA did not increase infection risk across the ABA exposure quartiles. There was no evidence of association between number of infections and ABA exposure quartiles. No opportunistic infections related to ABA were reported. CONCLUSION: In patients aged 2-17 years with pJIA, no evidence of association between higher levels of exposure to IV ABA or SC ABA and incidence of infection was observed.

Open-label phase 3 study of intravenous golimumab in patients with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess efficacy, pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of intravenous (i.v.) golimumab in patients with polyarticular-course JIA (pc-JIA). METHODS: Children aged 2 to <18 years with active pc-JIA despite MTX therapy for ≥2 months received 80 mg/m2 golimumab at weeks 0, 4, then every 8 weeks through week 52 plus MTX weekly through week 28. The primary and major secondary endpoints were PK exposure and model-predicted steady-state area under the curve (AUCss) over an 8-week dosing interval at weeks 28 and 52, respectively. JIA ACR response and safety were also assessed. RESULTS: In total, 127 children were treated with i.v. golimumab. JIA ACR 30, 50, 70, and 90 response rates were 84%, 80%, 70% and 47%, respectively, at week 28 and were maintained through week 52. Golimumab serum concentrations and AUCss were 0.40 µg/ml and 399 µg ⋅ day/ml at week 28. PK exposure was maintained at week 52. Steady-state trough golimumab concentrations and AUCss were consistent across age categories and comparable to i.v. golimumab dosed 2 mg/kg in adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Golimumab antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were detected via a highly sensitive drug-tolerant assay in 31% (39/125) and 19% (24/125) of patients, respectively. Median trough golimumab concentration was lower in antibody-positive vs antibody-negative patients. Serious infections were reported in 6% of patients, including one death due to septic shock. CONCLUSION: Body surface area-based dosing of i.v. golimumab was well tolerated and provided adequate PK exposure for clinical efficacy in paediatric patients with active pc-JIA.ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02277444.

Sarcoidosis laríngea infantil: presentación de un caso clínico / Laryngeal sarcoidosis in a child: case report

La sarcoidosis es un trastorno crónico, multisistémico y granulomatoso. Femenina de 2 años con múltiples cuadros de vías respiratorias, con esteroides inhalados y sistémicos presentando respuesta parcial, reactantes de fase aguda positivos, anticuerpos negativos, además de PCR de micobacterias atípicas con Mycobacterium tuberculosis negativa. Se diagnostica de sarcoidosis laríngea por histopatología biopsia de laringe con proceso inflamatorio crónico granulomatoso con células gigantes tipo Langhans, y áreas agudizadas y ulceradas con cambios compatibles con proceso fímico. Se inicia tratamiento con gammaglobulina mensual durante 6 meses a dosis de 2g/kg/peso, Valmetrol(R) y metotrexate. Se decidió la inmunomodulación con gammaglobulina y con posterior uso de inmunosupresión a base de metotrexate. Actualmente broncoscopia sin evidencia de granulomas y reactantes de fase aguda negativos

Sarcoidosis is a chronic, multisystemic, granulomatous disorder. Our patient was a 2-year-old girl with multiple airway conditions and a partial response to inhaled and systemic steroids. She was positive for acute phase reactants and negative for antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction revealed atypical Mycobacteria and she was negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Laryngeal sarcoidosis was diagnosed by histopathology in a biopsy of larynx that revealed a chronic granulomatous inflammatory process with Langhans giant cells and acute and ulcerated areas with changes compatible with tuberculosis. Treatment consisted of monthly gammaglobulin for 6 months at doses of 2g/kg body weight, accompanied by Valmetrol(TM) and methotrexate. Immunomodulation with gammaglobulin was prescribed, with subsequent use of methotrexate-based immunosuppression. Currently, bronchoscopy shows no evidence of granulomas and she is negative for acute-phase reactants

Laryngeal Sarcoidosis in a Child: Case Report. / Sarcoidosis laríngea infantil: presentación de un caso clínico.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic, multisystemic, granulomatous disorder. Our patient was a 2-year-old girl with multiple airway conditions and a partial response to inhaled and systemic steroids. She was positive for acute phase reactants and negative for antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction revealed atypical Mycobacteria and she was negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Laryngeal sarcoidosis was diagnosed by histopathology in a biopsy of larynx that revealed a chronic granulomatous inflammatory process with Langhans giant cells and acute and ulcerated areas with changes compatible with tuberculosis. Treatment consisted of monthly gammaglobulin for 6 months at doses of 2g/kg body weight, accompanied by Valmetrol™ and methotrexate. Immunomodulation with gammaglobulin was prescribed, with subsequent use of methotrexate-based immunosuppression. Currently, bronchoscopy shows no evidence of granulomas and she is negative for acute-phase reactants.

Subcutaneous Abatacept in Patients With Polyarticular-Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Results From a Phase III Open-Label Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacokinetics, effectiveness, and safety of subcutaneous (SC) abatacept treatment over 24 months in patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: In this phase III, open-label, international, multicenter, single-arm study, patients with polyarticular JIA (cohort 1, ages 6-17 years and cohort 2, ages 2-5 years) in whom treatment with ≥1 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug was unsuccessful received weight-tiered SC abatacept weekly: 10 to <25 kg (50 mg), 25 to <50 kg (87.5 mg), ≥50 kg (125 mg). Patients who had met the JIA-American College of Rheumatology 30% improvement criteria (achieved a JIA-ACR 30 response) at month 4 were given the option to continue SC abatacept to month 24. The primary end point was the abatacept steady-state serum trough concentration (Cminss ) in cohort 1 at month 4. Other outcome measures included JIA-ACR 30, 50, 70, 90, 100, and inactive disease status, the median Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score in 71 joints using the C-reactive protein level (JADAS-71-CRP) over time, safety, and immunogenicity. RESULTS: The median abatacept Cminss at month 4 (primary end point) and at month 24 was above the target therapeutic exposure (10 µg/ml) in both cohorts. The percentage of patients who had achieved JIA-ACR 30, 50, 70, 90, or 100 responses or had inactive disease responses at month 4 (intent-to-treat population) was 83.2%, 72.8%, 52.6%, 28.3%, 14.5%, and 30.1%, respectively, in cohort 1 (n = 173) and 89.1%, 84.8%, 73.9%, 58.7%, 41.3%, and 50.0%, respectively, in cohort 2 (n = 46); the responses were maintained to month 24. The median (interquartile range) JADAS-71-CRP improved from baseline to month 4: cohort 1, from 21.0 (13.5, 30.3) to 4.6 (2.1, 9.4); cohort 2, from 18.1 (14.0, 23.1) to 2.1 (0.3, 4.4). Improvements were sustained to month 24, at which time 27 of 173 patients (cohort 1) and 11 of 22 patients (cohort 2) had achieved JADAS-71-CRP remission. No unexpected adverse events were reported; 4 of 172 patients (2.3%) in cohort 1 and 4 of 46 (8.7%) in cohort 2 developed anti-abatacept antibodies, with no clinical effects. CONCLUSION: Weight-stratified SC abatacept yielded target therapeutic exposures across age and weight groups, was well tolerated, and improved polyarticular JIA symptoms over 24 months.

What are we looking for? Systemic lupus erythematosus vs. dengue infection: A case series report / ¿Qué estamos buscando? Lupus eritematoso sistémico vs. infección por dengue: reporte de casos

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies and multisystemic disease. Viruses are widely associated with autoimmunity, and are also implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Two cases are described that have an autoimmune response related to dengue infection. The clinical presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus is very diverse, and in these cases it was important to consider SLE as a diagnosis.

Resumen El lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) es una enfermedad autoinmune, caracterizada por la presencia de autoanticuerpos y afección multisistémica. Los virus se encuentran ampliamente asociados a autoinmunidad y también se han encontrado implicados en la patogénesis del LES. A continuación se presentan 2 casos con respuesta autoinmune relacionada con infección por el virus del dengue. La presentación clínica del LES es muy diversa, en estos casos fue importante tener la sospecha diagnóstica.

Arteritis de Takayasu en el recién nacido, un diagnóstico que sospechar / Takayasu’s arteritis in the newborn: A diagnosis to suspect

La arteritis de Takayasu es una vasculitis de grandes vasos, afecta principalmente a la aorta, a sus ramas principales, incluyendo las arterias renales, coronarias y pulmonares. Se reporta un caso de recién nacido hospitalizado desde su nacimiento por proceso séptico, en el cual se encuentran aneurismas a nivel de aorta descendente y abdominal. El paciente cursa con disminución de pulsos distales, predominio en extremidad inferior izquierda, discrepancia mayor a 10 mmHg en toma de TA en 4 extremidades, así como cambios angiográficos en aorta integrándose el diagnóstico de arteritis de Takayasu (AU)

Takayasu Arteritis is a vasculitis that affects the aorta, and its large branches, including renal, coronary and pulmonary arteries. This is a case report of a newborn who had early onset sepsis, vascular imaging reported aneurysms in the thoracic and abdominal aorta, with decreased distal pulses, a blood pressure difference >10 mmHg and angiographic changes, integrating the diagnose of Takayasu’s Arteritis (AU)

Takayasu's arteritis in the newborn: a diagnosis to suspect.

Takayasu Arteritis is a vasculitis that affects the aorta, and its large branches, including renal, coronary and pulmonary arteries. This is a case report of a newborn who had early onset sepsis, vascular imaging reported aneurysms in the thoracic and abdominal aorta, with decreased distal pulses, a blood pressure difference >10 mmHg and angiographic changes, integrating the diagnose of Takayasu's Arteritis.