Safety and efficacy of etanercept in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis below the age of 4 years.
Little is known about the safety and efficacy of etanercept in children below the age of 4 years. Twenty-five patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) below the age of 4 years, who received etanercept, were documented in the German JIA Etanercept Registry. Patients with the nonsystemic JIA disease-subtype responded more frequently to treatment with etanercept than systemic onset patients. At last observation, two (20%) of the nonsystemic patients did not reach a PedACR 30 response, while six (40%) of the systemic onset patients did not respond to the therapy. Complete resolution of symptoms was observed in two (20%) nonsystemic and in five (33%) systemic onset patients with JIA. Tolerability was good with only two infections occurring in the total patients group. Patients with JIA below the age of 4 years, with a methotrexate-resistant disease course, would also benefit from treatment with etanercept, showing a good tolerability. The restriction to children older than 4 years appears to be artificial without any good rationale.
Tzaribachev
N
N
University Children's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany. nikolay.tzaribachev@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Kuemmerle-Deschner
J
J
Eichner
M
M
Horneff
G
G
D000367:Age Factors; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate