Treatment advances in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an autoinflammatory condition that is distinct from other forms of childhood arthritis. Recently, biologic agents that specifically inhibit the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 have demonstrated remarkable clinical effectiveness and confirmed the importance of these cytokines in the disease process. Future studies are likely to optimize the care of children with systemic arthritis and further elucidate the disease pathogenesis.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology 1600 7th Avenue South, CPP 210, Birmingham, AL, 35233-1711 USA.
Timothy
T
Beukelman