Performance of current guidelines for diagnosis of macrophage activation syndrome complicating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the capacity of the 2004 diagnostic guidelines for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH-2004) with the capacity of the preliminary diagnostic guidelines for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) to discriminate MAS complicating systemic JIA from 2 potentially confusable conditions, represented by active systemic JIA without MAS and systemic infection.

METHODS

International pediatric rheumatologists and hemato-oncologists were asked to retrospectively collect clinical information from patients with systemic JIA-associated MAS and confusable conditions. The ability of the guidelines to differentiate MAS from the control diseases was evaluated by calculating the sensitivity and specificity of each set of guidelines and the kappa statistics for concordance with the physician's diagnosis. Owing to the fact that not all patients were assessed for hemophagocytosis on bone marrow aspirates and given the lack of data on natural killer cell activity and soluble CD25 levels, the HLH-2004 guidelines were adapted to enable the diagnosis of MAS when 3 of 5 of the remaining items (3/5-adapted) or 4 of 5 of the remaining items (4/5-adapted) were present.

RESULTS

The study sample included 362 patients with systemic JIA and MAS, 404 patients with active systemic JIA without MAS, and 345 patients with systemic infection. The best capacity to differentiate MAS from systemic JIA without MAS was found when the preliminary MAS guidelines were applied. The 3/5-adapted HLH-2004 guidelines performed better than the 4/5-adapted guidelines in distinguishing MAS from active systemic JIA without MAS. The 3/5-adapted HLH-2004 guidelines and the preliminary MAS guidelines with the addition of ferritin levels ≥500 ng/ml discriminated best between MAS and systemic infections.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary MAS guidelines showed the strongest ability to identify MAS in systemic JIA. The addition of hyperferritinemia enhanced their capacity to differentiate MAS from systemic infections. The HLH-2004 guidelines are likely not appropriate for identification of MAS in children with systemic JIA.

Health related quality of life measure in systemic pediatric rheumatic diseases and its translation to different languages: an international collaboration

BACKGROUND

Rheumatic diseases in children are associated with significant morbidity and poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There is no health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scale available specifically for children with less common rheumatic diseases. These diseases share several features with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) such as their chronic episodic nature, multi-systemic involvement, and the need for immunosuppressive medications. HRQOL scale developed for pediatric SLE will likely be applicable to children with systemic inflammatory diseases.

FINDINGS

We adapted Simple Measure of Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY©) to Simple Measure of Impact of Illness in Youngsters (SMILY©-Illness) and had it reviewed by pediatric rheumatologists for its appropriateness and cultural suitability. We tested SMILY©-Illness in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and then translated it into 28 languages. Nineteen children (79% female, n=15) and 17 parents participated. The mean age was 12±4 years, with median disease duration of 21 months (1-172 months). We translated SMILY©-Illness into the following 28 languages: Danish, Dutch, French (France), English (UK), German (Germany), German (Austria), German (Switzerland), Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Slovene, Spanish (USA and Puerto Rico), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Venezuela), Turkish, Afrikaans, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Arabic (Egypt), Czech, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Romanian, Serbian and Xhosa.

CONCLUSION

SMILY©-Illness is a brief, easy to administer and score HRQOL scale for children with systemic rheumatic diseases. It is suitable for use across different age groups and literacy levels. SMILY©-Illness with its available translations may be used as useful adjuncts to clinical practice and research.

Bone status of children born from mothers with autoimmune diseases treated during pregnancy with prednisone and/or low molecular weight heparin

BACKGROUND

To evaluate bone status in children born from mothers followed for autoimmune diseases and treated during pregnancy with low molecular weight heparin (LMVH) and/or prednisone.

FINDINGS

History, physical examination, laboratory tests and phalangeal ultrasonography were performed. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were entered into a customized database, and results were analyzed with SPSS software. In children whose mothers were treated with LMWH, we retrieved dried blood spots taken for newborn screening, and analyzed the presence of heparin with tandem mass spectrometry. We enrolled 27 females and 14 males born from 31 mothers with SLE or connective tissue diseases. These women were continuously treated during pregnancy with LMWH (n = 10), prednisone (n = 16), or both (n = 15). Bone ultrasound revealed low values (≤ 3 centile for age) in ten patients. In a multistep regression analysis, age at examination resulted the single predictor of low ultrasound values (p < 0.004). Tandem mass spectroscopy failed to determine traces of heparin in newborn blood.

CONCLUSIONS

Children born from mothers with autoimmune diseases are at risk to develop reduced bone mass. The administration of LMWH and of prednisone seems to be safe with regard to children's bone health.

Glucocorticoid-associated osteoporosis in chronic inflammatory diseases: epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment

Children with chronic illnesses such as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Crohn's disease, particularly when taking glucocorticoids, are at significant risk for bone fragility. Furthermore, when childhood illness interferes with achieving normal peak bone mass, life-long fracture risk is increased. Osteopenia and osteoporosis, which is increasingly recognized in pediatric chronic disease, likely results from numerous disease- and treatment-related factors, including glucocorticoid exposure. Diagnosing osteoporosis in childhood is complicated by the limitations of current noninvasive techniques such as DXA, which despite its limitations remains the gold standard. The risk:benefit ratio of treatment is confounded by the potential for spontaneous restitution of bone mass deficits and reshaping of previously fractured vertebral bodies. Bisphosphonates have been used to treat secondary osteoporosis in children, but limited experience and potential long-term toxicity warrant caution in routine use. This article reviews the factors that influence loss of normal bone strength and evidence for effective treatments, in particular in patients with gastrointestinal and rheumatologic disorders who are receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy.

Caveats and truths in genetic, clinical, autoimmune and autoinflammatory issues in Blau syndrome and early onset sarcoidosis

Blau syndrome (BS) and early onset sarcoidosis (EOS) are, respectively, the familial and sporadic forms of the pediatric granulomatous autoinflammatory disease, which belong to the group of monogenic autoinflammatory syndromes. Both of these conditions are caused by mutations in the NOD2 gene, which encodes the cytosolic NOD2 protein, one of the pivotal molecules in the regulation of innate immunity, primarily expressed in the antigen-presenting cells. Clinical onset of BS and EOS is usually in the first years of life with noncaseating epithelioid granulomas mainly affecting joints, skin, and uveal tract, variably associated with heterogeneous systemic features. The dividing line between autoinflammatory and autoimmune mechanisms is probably not so clear-cut, and the relationship existing between BS or EOS and autoimmune phenomena remains unclear. There is no established therapy for the management of BS and EOS, and the main treatment aim is to prevent ocular manifestations entailing the risk of potential blindness and to avoid joint deformities. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, such as methotrexate or azathioprine, may be helpful; when patients are unresponsive to the combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressant agents, the tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor infliximab should be considered. Data on anti-interleukin-1 inhibition with anakinra and canakinumab is still limited and further corroboration is required. The aim of this paper is to describe BS and EOS, focusing on their genetic, clinical, and therapeutic issues, with the ultimate goal of increasing clinicians' awareness of both of these rare but serious disorders.

Mucopolysaccharidoses

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare genetic disorders of glycosaminoglycan catabolism, caused by a deficiency of lysosomal enzymes required for GAG degradation. Incomplete breakdown of glycosaminoglycans leads to progressive accumulation of these substances in many tissues throughout the body. Different residual enzymatic activity can result in different phenotypes of the same MPS disorder, from severe to attenuated. Musculoskeletal manifestations are common across all forms of MPS. Skeletal and joint abnormalities are prominent features of many MPS disorders, particularly attenuated phenotypes. However, diagnostic delays occur frequently for patients with an MPS, especially those with more attenuated forms of disease. In the absence of appropriate treatment, these conditions are chronic, progressive and often debilitating, but treatment for many types of MPS is now available. Therefore, increasing awareness of MPS among rheumatologists is extremely important.

Biological treatments in Behçet's disease: beyond anti-TNF therapy

Behçet's disease (BD) is universally recognized as a multisystemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology with chronic course and unpredictable exacerbations: its clinical spectrum varies from pure vasculitic manifestations with thrombotic complications to protean inflammatory involvement of multiple organs and tissues. Treatment has been revolutionized by the progressed knowledge in the pathogenetic mechanisms of BD, involving dysfunction and oversecretion of multiple proinflammatory molecules, chiefly tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, interleukin- (IL-) 1β, and IL-6. However, although biological treatment with anti-TNF-α agents has been largely demonstrated to be effective in BD, not all patients are definite responders, and this beneficial response might drop off over time. Therefore, additional therapies for a subset of refractory patients with BD are inevitably needed. Different agents targeting various cytokines and their receptors or cell surface molecules have been studied: the IL-1 receptor has been targeted by anakinra, the IL-1 by canakinumab and gevokizumab, the IL-6 receptor by tocilizumab, the IL12/23 receptor by ustekinumab, and the B-lymphocyte antigen CD-20 by rituximab. The aim of this review is to summarize all current experiences and the most recent evidence regarding these novel approaches with biological drugs other than TNF-α blockers in BD, providing a valuable addition to the actually available therapeutic armamentarium.