Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: current and future treatment options.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common rheumatic disease in children. The management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis has improved in recent decades, and morbidity due to the disease is significantly decreased. In particular, the use of more effective drugs and their combination has changed the course of the disease in many patients. The increasing knowledge of inflammation mechanisms has lead to the development of new agents that target specific cytokines interfering with the inflammatory cascade. In particular, anti-TNF agents seem effective: etanercept is the only one licensed for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and Phase III trials on two other anti-TNF agents, infliximab and adalimumab, are ongoing. This review discusses the current practice in the medical management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and potential new agents are discussed.
Martini
Giorgia
G
Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Padua, Italy.
Zulian
Francesco
F
D000068879:Adalimumab; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept; D008727:Methotrexate