title: Remission rate is not dependent on the presence of antinuclear antibodies in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: Recently, it has been hypothesized that the subcategories of the ILAR classification of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are not homogeneous, and that the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) should lead to a separate entity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate ANA positivity as a predictor of achieving remission. A retrospective single-center cohort study including all JIA patients diagnosed between January 2000 and May 2014. A minimum follow-up of 1 year was required plus the ANA status. ANA positivity was defined as at least two positive results with a titer ≥1:160. Demographic and clinical features were collected. Remission at last follow-up was defined by the Wallace criteria. A total of 625 patients met the inclusion criteria and 230 (37%) were found ANA positive. Analysis showed no difference in remission rate between ANA-positive and ANA-negative patients. Additionally, joint count at diagnosis and at last follow-up were comparable in both groups. ANA positivity was correlated to a female predominance and young age at diagnosis (p < 0.001). Remission rates are not different in ANA-positive patients than in ANA-negative patients. This does not support the hypothesis to possibly divide JIA patients based on their ANA status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. miagleru@rm.dk.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glerup
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Herlin
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.|Department of Paediatrics, division of Rheumatology, Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Twilt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: Antinuclear antibodies; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Remission