Effects of long-term etanercept treatment on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of long-term etanercept treatment, with or without methotrexate, on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).


METHODS
We conducted a 3-year, open-label, nonrandomized registry of 594 patients with polyarticular or systemic JIA treated with etanercept only, etanercept plus methotrexate, or methotrexate only. Height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed at baseline and at years 1, 2, and 3, using percentiles derived from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standardized growth charts.


RESULTS
Statistically significant increases in the mean height percentiles from baseline were observed in etanercept-treated patients at year 3 (4.8 percentile points) and in patients treated with etanercept plus methotrexate at years 1, 2, and 3 (2.4, 3.3, and 5.6 percentile points, respectively). Statistically significant increases from baseline in the mean weight percentiles were observed at years 1, 2, and 3 in both the etanercept group (7.4, 10.0, and 13.0 percentile points) and the etanercept-plus-methotrexate group (2.9, 6.9, and 8.4 percentile points, respectively). Statistically significant increases from baseline in the mean BMI percentiles were observed in both the etanercept group (range 9.6-13.8 percentile points) and the etanercept-plus-methotrexate group (range 2.1-5.2 percentile points). The mean height, weight, and BMI percentiles did not change significantly in patients in the methotrexate-only group.


CONCLUSIONS
Etanercept treatment, with or without methotrexate, may contribute to the restoration of normal growth in children with JIA.
Giannini
Edward H
EH
Pediatric Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. Edward.Giannini@cchmc.org
Ilowite
Norman T
NT
Lovell
Daniel J
DJ
Wallace
Carol A
CA
Rabinovich
C Egla
CE
Reiff
Andreas
A
Higgins
Gloria
G
Gottlieb
Beth
B
Chon
Yun
Y
Zhang
Nan
N
Baumgartner
Scott W
SW
D000293:Adolescent; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000628:therapy*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012042:Registries; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept; D008727:Methotrexate