Abatacept in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled withdrawal trial

Two randomized trials of canakinumab in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

BACKGROUND

Interleukin-1 is pivotal in the pathogenesis of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We assessed the efficacy and safety of canakinumab, a selective, fully human, anti-interleukin-1β monoclonal antibody, in two trials.

METHODS

In trial 1, we randomly assigned patients, 2 to 19 years of age, with systemic JIA and active systemic features (fever; ≥2 active joints; C-reactive protein, >30 mg per liter; and glucocorticoid dose, ≤1.0 mg per kilogram of body weight per day), in a double-blind fashion, to a single subcutaneous dose of canakinumab (4 mg per kilogram) or placebo. The primary outcome, termed adapted JIA ACR 30 response, was defined as improvement of 30% or more in at least three of the six core criteria for JIA, worsening of more than 30% in no more than one of the criteria, and resolution of fever. In trial 2, after 32 weeks of open-label treatment with canakinumab, patients who had a response and underwent glucocorticoid tapering were randomly assigned to continued treatment with canakinumab or to placebo. The primary outcome was time to flare of systemic JIA.

RESULTS

At day 15 in trial 1, more patients in the canakinumab group had an adapted JIA ACR 30 response (36 of 43 [84%], vs. 4 of 41 [10%] in the placebo group; P<0.001). In trial 2, among the 100 patients (of 177 in the open-label phase) who underwent randomization in the withdrawal phase, the risk of flare was lower among patients who continued to receive canakinumab than among those who were switched to placebo (74% of patients in the canakinumab group had no flare, vs. 25% in the placebo group, according to Kaplan-Meier estimates; hazard ratio, 0.36; P=0.003). The average glucocorticoid dose was reduced from 0.34 to 0.05 mg per kilogram per day, and glucocorticoids were discontinued in 42 of 128 patients (33%). The macrophage activation syndrome occurred in 7 patients; infections were more frequent with canakinumab than with placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

These two phase 3 studies show the efficacy of canakinumab in systemic JIA with active systemic features. (Funded by Novartis Pharma; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00889863 and NCT00886769.).

Assessment and management of pain in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a common chronic childhood illness. Pain is the most common and distressing symptom of JIA. Pain has been found to negatively impact all aspects of functioning, including physical, social, emotional and role functions. Children with arthritis continue to experience clinically significant pain despite adequate doses of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and anti-inflammatory agents. The present article reviews the prevalence and nature of pain in JIA, the biopsychosocial factors that contribute to the pain experience, current approaches to assessing pain in this population, and ways of managing both acute and persistent pain using pharmacological, physical and psychological therapies. Finally, new approaches to delivering disease self-management treatment for youth with JIA using the Internet will be outlined.

Consensus treatment plans for new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE

There is wide variation in therapeutic approaches to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) among North American rheumatologists. Understanding the comparative effectiveness of the diverse therapeutic options available for treatment of systemic JIA can result in better health outcomes. The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) developed consensus treatment plans and standardized assessment schedules for use in clinical practice to facilitate such studies.

METHODS

Case-based surveys were administered to CARRA members to identify prevailing treatments for new-onset systemic JIA. A 2-day consensus conference in April 2010 employed modified nominal group technique to formulate preliminary treatment plans and determine important data elements for collection. Followup surveys were employed to refine the plans and assess clinical acceptability.

RESULTS

The initial case-based survey identified significant variability among current treatment approaches for new-onset systemic JIA, underscoring the utility of standardized plans to evaluate comparative effectiveness. We developed 4 consensus treatment plans for the first 9 months of therapy, as well as case definitions and clinical and laboratory monitoring schedules. The 4 treatment regimens included glucocorticoids only, or therapy with methotrexate, anakinra, or tocilizumab, with or without glucocorticoids. This approach was approved by >78% of the CARRA membership.

CONCLUSION

Four standardized treatment plans were developed for new-onset systemic JIA. Coupled with data collection at defined intervals, use of these treatment plans will create the opportunity to evaluate comparative effectiveness in an observational setting to optimize initial management of systemic JIA.

A phase II, multicenter, open-label study evaluating dosing and preliminary safety and efficacy of canakinumab in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis with active systemic features

OBJECTIVE

To assess dosing, preliminary safety, and efficacy of canakinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin-1β (anti-IL-1β) antibody, in children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and active systemic features.

METHODS

In this phase II, multicenter, open-label, dosage-escalation study, children with systemic JIA who were ≥4 years of age, had fever, and were receiving ≤0.4 mg/kg/day of corticosteroids were administered a single subcutaneous dose of canakinumab, 0.5-9 mg/kg of body weight, and were redosed upon relapse. Response to treatment was assessed according to an adaptation of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) pediatric criteria for improvement.

RESULTS

A total of 23 children ages 4-19 years with active disease were enrolled. Of these, 1 patient was excluded from analysis, and 3 of the reenrolled patients were included twice in the efficacy analysis. By day 15 of the first treatment cycle, 15 of 25 patients (60%) had achieved an adapted ACR Pediatric 50 response, with 4 of them achieving inactive disease status. Response was sustained over time, with 11 of 13 patients able to maintain their response throughout the study. In 8 of the 11 responders who had been receiving steroids at baseline, the steroid dosage was decreased from a mean of 0.38 mg/kg/day to 0.13 mg/kg/day over the first 5 months, and 4 of them were able to discontinue steroids. At a dose of 4 mg/kg of canakinumab given subcutaneously every 4 weeks, the median percentage of patients predicted to relapse within 4 weeks was estimated to be 6% (95% confidence interval 1-21). Therapy was generally well tolerated and few patients experienced injection-site reactions.

CONCLUSION

Canakinumab has a promising preliminary safety and efficacy profile in this limited cohort. Based on the findings of this trial, further studies in a larger population of children with systemic JIA are warranted.

Coinhibitory molecules in autoimmune diseases

Coinhibitory molecules such as CTLA-4, PD-1 and BTLA negatively regulate immune responses. Multiple studies indicate that the deficiency or mutation of coinhibitory molecules leads to the development of autoimmune diseases in mice and humans, indicating that the negative signals from coinhibitory molecules are crucial for the prevention of autoimmunity. In some conditions, the administration of decoy coinhibitory receptors (e.g., CTLA-4 Ig) or mAb against coinhibitory molecules suppresses the responses of self-reactive T cells in autoimmune diseases. Therefore, modulation of coinhibitory signals seems to be an attractive approach to induce tolerance in autoimmune diseases in humans where the disease-inducing self-antigens are not known. Particularly, administration of CTLA-4 Ig has shown great promise in animal models of autoimmune diseases and has been gaining increasing attention in clinical investigation in several autoimmune diseases in humans.

MRI of the wrist in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: proposal of a paediatric synovitis score by a consensus of an international working group. Results of a multicentre reliability study

BACKGROUND

MRI is a sensitive tool for the evaluation of synovitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel MRI-based score for synovitis in children and to examine its inter- and intraobserver variability in a multi-centre study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wrist MRI was performed in 76 children with JIA. On postcontrast 3-D spoiled gradient-echo and fat-suppressed T2-weighted spin-echo images, joint recesses were scored for the degree of synovial enhancement, effusion and overall inflammation independently by two paediatric radiologists. Total-enhancement and inflammation-synovitis scores were calculated.

RESULTS

Interobserver agreement was poor to moderate for enhancement and inflammation in all recesses, except in the radioulnar and radiocarpal joints. Intraobserver agreement was good to excellent. For enhancement and inflammation scores, mean differences (95 % CI) between observers were -1.18 (-4.79 to 2.42) and -2.11 (-6.06 to 1.83). Intraobserver variability (reader 1) was 0 (-1.65 to 1.65) and 0.02 (-1.39 to 1.44).

CONCLUSION

Intraobserver agreement was good. Except for the radioulnar and radiocarpal joints, interobserver agreement was not acceptable. Therefore, the proposed scoring system requires further refinement.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: management and therapeutic options

THE GOALS OF TREATMENT FOR JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS (JIA) INCLUDE: suppression of inflammation, achievement of remission, relief of pain, maintenance of function and doing so with minimal toxicity. Important discoveries over the past 10-15 years have led to more targeted treatments for children with JIA. The International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) classification system for childhood arthritides, better assessment tools for clinical response, improved definitions of remission, new imaging techniques and evidence in gene expression profiling have all contributed to the development of more targeted treatments. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents still have a role in mild disease and intra-articular steroid injections continue to be used most commonly in patients with oligoarticular JIA. Disease-modifying agents such as methotrexate have demonstrated efficacy and safety; however, in many patients, the disease remains active despite this treatment. These children now receive more targeted treatment including the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors, interleukin-1 blockade, interleukin-6 blockade, selective costimulation modulators and selective B-cell blockade. The biologic targeted therapies have changed the strategy in which we treat our children with JIA; however, there remains much to be learned about the long-term effects and safety of these medicines.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) sets well apart from all the other forms of JIA. Several observations show that sJIA is etiopathogenically different from all the other forms of JIA and has a prominent autoinflammatory component. A major role in the pathogenesis is played by two proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1. The specific inhibition of these two cytokines is going to change not only the therapeutic approach to the disease but also, presumably, its long term prognosis.

Access to Biologic Therapies in Canada for Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Objective.

To compare access to biologic therapies for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) across Canada, and to identify differences in provincial regulations and criteria for access.

Methods.

Between June and August 2010, we compiled the provincial guidelines for reimbursement of biologic drugs for children with JIA and conducted a multicenter Canada-wide survey of pediatric rheumatologists to determine their experience with accessing biologic therapies for their patients.

Results.

There were significant difficulties accessing biologic treatments other than etanercept and abatacept for children. There were large discrepancies in the access criteria and coverage of biologic agents across provinces, notably with age restrictions for younger children.

Conclusion.

Canadian children with JIA may not receive optimal internationally recognized “standard” care because pediatric coverage for biologic drugs through provincial formularies is limited and inconsistent across the country. There is urgent need for public policy to improve access to biologic therapies for these children to ensure optimal short-term and longterm health outcomes.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug use in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a cross-sectional analysis of the CARRA Registry

OBJECTIVE

To characterize disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in the United States and to determine patient factors associated with medication use.

METHODS

We analyzed cross-sectional baseline enrollment data from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry from May 2010 through May 2011 for children with JIA. Current and prior medication use was included. We used parsimonious backward stepwise logistic regression models to calculate OR to estimate associations between clinical patient factors and medication use.

RESULTS

We identified 2748 children with JIA with a median disease duration of 3.9 years from 51 US clinical sites. Overall, 2023 (74%) had ever received a nonbiologic DMARD and 1246 (45%) had ever received a biologic DMARD. Among children without systemic arthritis, methotrexate use was most strongly associated with uveitis (OR 5.2, 95% CI 3.6-7.6), anticitrullinated protein antibodies (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.7-12), and extended oligoarthritis (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.5-6.6). Among children without systemic arthritis, biologic DMARD use was most strongly associated with rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive polyarthritis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.9-6.6), psoriatic arthritis (PsA; OR 3.0, 95% CI 2.0-4.4), and uveitis (OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.1-3.7). Among children with systemic arthritis, 160 (65%) ever received a biologic DMARD; tumor necrosis factor inhibitor use was associated with polyarthritis (OR 2.5, 95% CI 3.8-16), while interleukin 1 inhibitor use was not.

CONCLUSION

About three-quarters of all children with JIA in the CARRA Registry received nonbiologic DMARD. Nearly one-half received biologic DMARD, and their use was strongly associated with RF-positive polyarthritis, PsA, uveitis, and systemic arthritis.

Abatacept for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The efficacy of abatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is unknown.

METHODS

Four placebo-controlled trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of abatacept as induction (IP) and maintenance (MP) therapy in adults with active, moderate-to-severe CD (CD-IP; CD-MP) and UC (UC-IP1; UC-MP). In CD-IP and UC-IP1, 451 patients with CD and 490 patients with UC were randomized to abatacept 30, 10, or 3 mg/kg (according to body weight) or placebo, and dosed at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 8. In MP, 90 patients with CD and 131 patients with UC who responded to abatacept at week 12 in the induction trials were randomized to abatacept 10 mg/kg or placebo every 4 weeks through week 52.

RESULTS

In CD-IP, 17.2%, 10.2%, and 15.5% of patients receiving abatacept 30, 10, and 3 mg/kg achieved a clinical response at weeks 8 and 12, vs 14.4% receiving placebo (P = .611, P = .311, and P = .812, respectively). In UC-IP1, 21.4%, 19.0%, and 20.3% of patients receiving abatacept 30, 10, and 3 mg/kg achieved a clinical response at week 12, vs 29.5% receiving placebo (P = .124, P = .043, and P = .158, respectively). In CD-MP, 23.8% vs 11.1% of abatacept vs placebo patients were in remission at week 52. In UC-MP, 12.5% vs 14.1% of patients receiving abatacept vs placebo were in remission at week 52. Safety generally was comparable between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The studies showed that abatacept is not efficacious for the treatment of moderate-to-severe CD or UC.

Early juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Early juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is important to recognize as timely diagnosis and treatment improves prognosis. It is a misconception that complications of JIA arise only from long-standing disease and that children will outgrow it. Early aggressive treatment is the paradigm as early disease activity has long-term consequences. There are predictors of persistent disease and joint erosions that may identify patients at higher risk. Control of disease activity within the first 6 months of onset confers improved clinical course and outcomes. The treatment perspective is thus one of early aggressive treatment for induction of disease control and ultimately remission.

Dosing regimen determination for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a review of studies during drug development

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood arthritis. In the past 10-15 years, the medical treatment options of JIA have greatly evolved and expanded due to a better understanding of the disease and the application of biologic agents. Regulations pertinent to pediatric clinical research have also helped provide a legal basis for investigating the effects of drugs and biologics in pediatrics and facilitate the pediatric drug development. The evaluation of clinical pharmacology, efficacy, and safety has provided valuable labeling information for pediatric use, including comparing exposure between adult and pediatric patients, bridging different formulations and regimens, providing appropriate dose selection recommendation with the modeling and simulation approach, and assessing the risks and benefits. This review summarizes the drugs and biologics with JIA labeling implications and discusses the application of clinical pharmacology, safety, and efficacy assessment in determining pediatric dosing regimens.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) encompasses a complex group of disorders with arthritis as a common feature. This article provides the pediatrician with a review of the epidemiology, classification, clinical manifestations, and complications of JIA. It also provides an update on the current understanding of the cause of JIA and recent developments in management and a recent review of the long-term outcome in JIA.

Systematic review of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background

Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may improve outcomes compared to conventional therapy (e.g., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular corticosteroids). The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of DMARDs versus conventional therapy and versus other DMARDs.

Results

A systematic evidence review of 156 reports identified in MEDLINE^®, EMBASE^®, and by hand searches. There is some evidence that methotrexate is superior to conventional therapy. Among children who have responded to a biologic DMARD, randomized discontinuation trials suggest that continued treatment decreases the risk of having a flare. However, these studies evaluated DMARDs with different mechanisms of action (abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, etanercept, intravenous immunoglobulin, tocilizumab) and used varying comparators and follow-up periods. Rates of serious adverse events are similar between DMARDs and placebo in published trials. This review identified 11 incident cases of cancer among several thousand children treated with one or more DMARD.

Conclusions

Few data are available to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of either specific DMARDs or general classes of DMARDs. However, based on the overall number, quality, and consistency of studies, there is moderate strength of evidence to support that DMARDs improve JIA-associated symptoms. Limited data suggest that short-term risk of cancer is low.

Rheumatoid arthritis and the era of biologic therapy

Biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs have transformed the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since their introduction into clinical practice over a decade ago. Following large-scale clinical trials, a number of biologics, with different mechanisms of action, have been licensed for the condition. In this review, we will summarise the current evidence for biologic use in RA with an emphasis on their efficacy and tolerability. In addition, we will provide a commentary on the current limitations and unmet needs in this area and discuss the future of biologic intervention.

[Enriched-enrollment randomized-withdrawal trials]

A clinical trial's power depends on the probability of observing an effect of the tested drug in the trial population, on the size of this effect, and on the heterogeneousness of the judgment criterion in the population. Enriched-enrollment randomized-withdrawal trials are clinical trials which comprise a first period in which subjects are selected depending on whether they respond to the tested drug or not. The responding patients are subsequently randomized into 2 groups: in one of them the treatment is pursued, in the other group a placebo is substituted. These designs are very useful in pediatrics, decreasing the number of subjects needed, on condition that the effect of the treatment is only suspensive in a setting of chronic disease. Here we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such trials.

Systemic arthritis in children: a review of clinical presentation and treatment

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) constitutes a small part of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), yet has a disproportionally higher rate of mortality. Despite being grouped under JIA, it is considered to be a multifactorial autoinflammatory disease. The objective of this paper is to review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, genetics, clinical manifestations, complications, therapy, prognosis, and outcome of sJIA. The presentation and clinical manifestations of sJIA have not changed much in the past several decades, but the collective understanding of the pathogenesis and the development of new targeted therapies (particularly the biologic agents) have transformed and improved the disease outcome for children with sJIA.

Trial of early aggressive therapy in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether aggressive treatment initiated early in the course of rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive or RF-negative polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can induce clinical inactive disease within 6 months.

METHODS

Between May 2007 and October 2010, a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2 aggressive treatments was conducted in 85 children ages 2-16 years with polyarticular JIA of <12 months' duration. Patients received either methotrexate (MTX) 0.5 mg/kg/week (maximum 40 mg) subcutaneously, etanercept 0.8 mg/kg/week (maximum 50 mg), and prednisolone 0.5 mg/kg/day (maximum 60 mg) tapered to 0 by 17 weeks (arm 1), or MTX (same dosage as arm 1), etanercept placebo, and prednisolone placebo (arm 2). The primary outcome measure was clinical inactive disease at 6 months. An exploratory phase determined the rate of clinical remission on medication (6 months of continuous clinical inactive disease) at 12 months.

RESULTS

By 6 months, clinical inactive disease had been achieved in 17 (40%) of 42 patients in arm 1 and 10 (23%) of 43 patients in arm 2 (χ(2) = 2.91, P = 0.088). After 12 months, clinical remission on medication was achieved in 9 patients in arm 1 and 3 patients in arm 2 (P = 0.053). There were no significant interarm differences in adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Although this study did not meet its primary end point, early aggressive therapy in this cohort of children with recent-onset polyarticular JIA resulted in clinical inactive disease by 6 months and clinical remission on medication within 12 months of treatment in substantial proportions of patients in both arms.

Early treatment of NOD mice with B7-H4 reduces the incidence of autoimmune diabetes

OBJECTIVE

Autoimmune diabetes is a T cell-mediated disease in which insulin-producing β-cells are destroyed. Autoreactive T cells play a central role in mediating β-cell destruction. B7-H4 is a negative cosignaling molecule that downregulates T-cell responses. In this study, we aim to determine the role of B7-H4 on regulation of β-cell-specific autoimmune responses.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Prediabetic (aged 3 weeks) female NOD mice (group 1, n = 21) were treated with intraperitoneal injections of B7-H4.Ig at 7.5 mg/kg, with the same amount of mouse IgG (group 2, n = 24), or with no protein injections (group 3, n = 24), every 3 days for 12 weeks.

RESULTS

B7-H4.Ig reduced the incidence of autoimmune diabetes, compared with the control groups (diabetic mice 28.6% of group 1, 66.7% of group 2 [P = 0.0081], and 70.8% of group 3 [group 1 vs. 3, P = 0.0035]). Histological analysis revealed that B7-H4 treatment did not block islet infiltration but rather suppressed further infiltrates after 9 weeks of treatment (group 1 vs. 2, P = 0.0003). B7-H4 treatment also reduced T-cell proliferation in response to GAD65 stimulation ex vivo. The reduction of diabetes is not due to inhibition of activated T cells in the periphery but rather to a transient increase of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) T-cell population at one week posttreatment (12.88 ± 1.29 vs. 11.58 ± 1.46%; n = 8; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate the protective role of B7-H4 in the development of autoimmune diabetes, suggesting a potential means of preventing type 1 diabetes by targeting the B7-H4 pathway.

Current medical treatments for juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) differs markedly from adult rheumatoid arthritis. It is not a single disease, but an exclusion diagnosis that gather together all forms of arthritis that begin before the age of 16 years, persist for more than 6 weeks, and are of unknown origin. The advent of the new biological treatments has dramatically changed both the observed responses to treatment and the expectations of therapies. The implementation of an adequate legislation as well as the presence of international research networks of pediatric rheumatology have contributed to foster the conduct of controlled clinical trials and the development of validated outcome measures. This review will currently describe the methodological approach for performing clinical trials in JIA as well as the current available drug treatment.

[New treatments in pediatric rheumatology: effects, limits, and future developments]

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of diseases. International networks have enabled therapeutic trials of medications targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, or T-cell costimulation (abatacept). JIA-associated chronic uveitis may require the use of biotherapies that remain experimental in JIA, such as monoclonal antibodies to TNF-alpha. Systemic-onset JIA (also called childhood-onset Still's disease) raises specific treatment challenges and may require treatment with IL-1 or IL-6 antagonists. Patients with JIA should be managed in specialized centers that have coordinated chains of care for the entire pediatric period and into adulthood. In addition, the use of recently introduced treatments in pediatric patients requires close monitoring for long-term side effects.

American College of Rheumatology provisional criteria for defining clinical inactive disease in select categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively validate the preliminary criteria for clinical inactive disease (CID) in patients with select categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

METHODS

We used the process for development of classification and response criteria recommended by the American College of Rheumatology Quality of Care Committee. Patient-visit profiles were extracted from the phase III randomized controlled trial of infliximab in polyarticular-course JIA (i.e., patients considered to resemble those with select categories of JIA) and sent to an international group of expert physician raters. Using the physician ratings as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity were calculated using the preliminary criteria. Modifications to the criteria were made, and these were sent to a larger group of pediatric rheumatologists to determine quantitative, face, and content validity.

RESULTS

Variables weighted heaviest by physicians when making their judgment were the number of joints with active arthritis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), physician's global assessment, and duration of morning stiffness. Three modifications were made: the definition of uveitis, the definition of abnormal ESR, and the addition of morning stiffness. These changes did not alter the accuracy of the preliminary set.

CONCLUSION

The modified criteria, termed the "criteria for CID in select categories of JIA," have excellent feasibility and face, content, criterion, and discriminant validity to detect CID in select categories of JIA. The small changes made to the preliminary criteria set did not alter the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.954) or accuracy (91%), but have increased face and content validity.

Co-stimulation modulation with abatacept in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The immunopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus is associated with T-cell autoimmunity. To be fully active, immune T cells need a co-stimulatory signal in addition to the main antigen-driven signal. Abatacept modulates co-stimulation and prevents full T-cell activation. We evaluated the effect of abatacept in recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

In this multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, patients aged 6-45 years recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive abatacept (10 mg/kg, maximum 1000 mg per dose) or placebo infusions intravenously on days 1, 14, 28, and monthly for a total of 27 infusions over 2 years. Computer-generated permuted block randomisation was used, with a block size of 3 and stratified by participating site. Neither patients nor research personnel were aware of treatment assignments. The primary outcome was baseline-adjusted geometric mean 2-h area-under-the-curve (AUC) serum C-peptide concentration after a mixed-meal tolerance test at 2 years' follow-up. Analysis was by intention to treat for all patients for whom data were available. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00505375.

FINDINGS

112 patients were assigned to treatment groups (77 abatacept, 35 placebo). Adjusted C-peptide AUC was 59% (95% CI 6·1-112) higher at 2 years with abatacept (n=73, 0·378 nmol/L) than with placebo (n=30, 0·238 nmol/L; p=0·0029). The difference between groups was present throughout the trial, with an estimated 9·6 months' delay (95% CI 3·47-15·6) in C-peptide reduction with abatacept. There were few infusion-related adverse events (36 reactions occurred in 17 [22%] patients on abatacept and 11 reactions in six [17%] on placebo). There was no increase in infections (32 [42%] patients on abatacept vs 15 [43%] on placebo) or neutropenia (seven [9%] vs five [14%]).

INTERPRETATION

Co-stimulation modulation with abatacept slowed reduction in β-cell function over 2 years. The beneficial effect suggests that T-cell activation still occurs around the time of clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Yet, despite continued administration of abatacept over 24 months, the decrease in β-cell function with abatacept was parallel to that with placebo after 6 months of treatment, causing us to speculate that T-cell activation lessens with time. Further observation will establish whether the beneficial effect continues after cessation of abatacept infusions.

FUNDING

US National Institutes of Health.

Abatacept in difficult-to-treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children and an important cause of short-term and long-term disability. Gene changes in the immune system can predispose to JIA and regulation of the immune system is crucial in the pathogenesis. The goal of therapy is complete disease control using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS). Activated T-cells may play a role in the immunopathology of JIA. Therefore, targeting T-cell activation is a rational approach for the treatment of JIA. Abatacept (ABA), a selective co-stimulation modulator, has been shown to be effective in treating all JIA subtypes and is generally safe and well tolerated in JIA. Neutralizing antibodies were found in 6/9 (67%) of seropositive patients, but anti-ABA antibodies did not appear to be associated with disease flare, serious adverse events, acute infusional adverse events, hypersensitivity, autoimmune disorders, or low ABA serum concentrations. Anti-ABA antibodies were more frequent when ABA concentrations were below therapeutic levels. Although information on ABA in JIA is still limited, available data suggest a potential role in difficult to treat JIA patients previously treated with other biologic agents and for non-responders to TNF-blockade.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterised by arthritis of unknown origin with onset before age of 16 years. Pivotal studies in the past 5 years have led to substantial progress in various areas, ranging from disease classification to new treatments. Gene expression profiling studies have identified different immune mechanisms in distinct subtypes of the disease, and can help to redefine disease classification criteria. Moreover, immunological studies have shown that systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis is an acquired autoinflammatory disease, and have led to successful studies of both interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 blockade. In other forms of the disease, synovial inflammation is the consequence of a disturbed balance between proinflammatory effector cells (such as T-helper-17 cells), and anti-inflammatory regulatory cells (such as FOXP3-positive regulatory T cells). Moreover, specific soluble biomarkers (S100 proteins) can guide individual treatment. Altogether these new developments in genetics, immunology, and imaging are instrumental to better define, classify, and treat patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: new insights into classification, measures of outcome, and pharmacotherapy

Significant advances have taken place in recent years in our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis, management, and clinical outcome of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Fundamental to this advancement has been international collaborative efforts of the clinical scientific community and all those involved in the multidisciplinary care of children and young people with JIA. A key factor has been facing the challenge of developing a robust classification system for JIA, a clinically very heterogeneous group of conditions. JIA illustrates the necessity of disease classification to enable scientific progress but also the iterative and evolving process this entails. What is emerging is the imperative to improve our understanding of the biologic and genetic basis of JIA to underpin classification systems. Growing emphasis is centered on improved holistic care and outcome of children and young people with JIA. The expectation of patients, their families, and clinicians is the goal of inactive disease, remission off treatment, and the health and psychosocial well-being of young people emerging into adulthood. Validated tools that reflect these challenges are being developed, including those measuring disease improvement, flare, remission and minimal disease activity, health-related quality of life, and composite scores of activity and damage. Clinical research networks have driven success in developing an evidence-base for the treatment of JIA. Randomized comparative trials have demonstrated the benefit of early use of intra-articular corticosteroid injections, and the importance of methotrexate as the first-line, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in JIA. The introduction of biologic therapies has opened a major new epoch in the medical management of JIA, with recent trials published on etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, abatacept, tocilizumab, and anakinra. This review focuses on recent advances in JIA, especially developments in its classification, validation of appropriate measures of holistic outcome, and the specific contribution of established and newer pharmacologic agents available for treating children and young people.

Intrinsic and extrinsic control of peripheral T-cell tolerance by costimulatory molecules of the CD28/ B7 family

Positive and negative costimulation by members of the CD28 family is critical for the development of productive immune responses against foreign pathogens and their proper termination to prevent inflammation-induced tissue damage. In addition, costimulatory signals are critical for the establishment and maintenance of peripheral tolerance. This paradigm has been established in many animal models and has led to the development of immunotherapies targeting costimulation pathways for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune disease, and allograft rejection. During the last decade, the complexity of the biology of costimulatory pathways has greatly increased due to the realization that costimulation does not affect only effector T cells but also influences regulatory T cells and antigen-presenting cells. Thus, costimulation controls T-cell tolerance through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. In this review, we discuss the influence of costimulation on intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of peripheral tolerance, with emphasis on members of the CD28 family, CD28, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), and programmed death-1 (PD-1), as well as the downstream cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-2).

2011 American College of Rheumatology recommendations for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: initiation and safety monitoring of therapeutic agents for the treatment of arthritis and systemic features

Guidelines and recommendations developed and/or endorsed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) are intended to provide guidance for particular patterns of practice and not to dictate the care of a particular patient. The ACR considers adherence to these guidelines and recommendations to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in light of each patient’s individual circumstances. Guidelines and recommendations are intended to promote beneficial or desirable outcomes but cannot guarantee any specific outcome. Guidelines and recommendations developed or endorsed by the ACR are subject to periodic revision as warranted by the evolution of medical knowledge, technology, and practice.

Cost-effectiveness of biologics in polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients unresponsive to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

OBJECTIVE

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic pediatric rheumatic disease and can have long-term effects leading to disability in adulthood. Biologics are a new class of drugs increasingly used to treat JIA. The primary study objective was to determine the incremental costs of biologics per additional responder compared to conventional treatment (methotrexate).

METHODS

A separate decision model was created for etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, and abatacept. The study population consisted of polyarticular-course JIA patients with a prior inadequate response or intolerance to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The effectiveness measure was the proportion of patients who had a treatment response at 1 year according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Pediatric 30 (Pedi 30) improvement criteria. Direct and indirect costs were calculated in 2008 Canadian dollars. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for each biologic agent using probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

The additional costs per additional ACR Pedi 30 responder at 1 year were $26,061 (95% CI $17,070, $41,834), $46,711 (95% CI $30,042, $75,787), $16,204 (95% CI $11,393, $22,608), and $31,209 (95% CI $16,659, $66,220) for etanercept, adalimumab, abatacept, and infliximab, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Biologics are more effective than methotrexate in achieving a short-term response in JIA patients with prior inadequate responses to DMARDs; however, this comes at a high annual cost. Adequate long-term data with respect to both safety and effectiveness are not currently available, nor are utility estimates. Such data will be important to estimate value for money for treating JIA with biologic drugs over the long term.

Biologics in children's autoimmune disorders: efficacy and safety

Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases have led to the discovery of mechanisms of inflammation and autoimmunity and have made possible the invention of new target-specific drugs. Biologic drugs, designed to inhibit specific components of the immune system, such as cytokines, cytokine gene expression, and their complex interactions, have revolutionized the treatment options in pediatric rheumatology. Only three agents are currently available for treating juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): etanercept, at the dose of 0.8 mg/kg once weekly, adalimumab at the dose of 24 mg/m(2) every 2 weeks, and abatacept at the dose of 10 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, 4, and then every 4 weeks. They are well tolerated and relatively safe in children: Side effects are generally mild and include injection site reactions and infections. Infliximab, rilonacept, and canakinumab are also approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of pediatric autoimmune disorders and are currently investigated in JIA. This review summarizes the current state of biologic drugs, their clinical application, and their efficacy and safety in the pediatric age.