Clinical response to etanercept in polyarticular course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Kietz, D.A.; Pepmueller, P.H.; Moore, T.L.
Journal of Rheumatology 28(2): 360-362
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0315-162X PMID: 11246677 Document Number: 537131
Objective. To evaluate safety and clinical response to treatment with etanercept in the polyarticular course of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Methods. Ten patients were studied (8 female, 2 male; 6 polyarticular JRA, 4 systemic onset; mean age 13.3 yrs; mean duration of disease 6.6 yrs). Patients received 0.4 mg/kg etanercept subcutaneously twice weekly in addition to their existing therapeutic regimen. Observed duration of treatment ranged between 4 and 12 months. Results. Patients tolerated treatment with etanercept well. No serious adverse events were noted. Treatment response showed considerable improvement of morning stiffness (mean reduction of 96 min simeq -93%) and joint counts including swollen joints (DELTA-8.2 simeq -40%), tender joints (DELTA-9.2 simeq -88%), and total joints (DELTA-9.8 simeq -37%). Laboratory results included decreases in ESR (DELTA-46 mm/h simeq -53%) and improvement of anemia. Conclusion. Our results confirm etanercept is a powerful adjunct in the therapy of polyarticular JRA resistant to conventional treatment regimens.