Increasing Incidence of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Trend Over 31 Years in Southern Sweden

Background The reported incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) varies from studies around the world, depending on patient collection techniques, geographic region, and time. Our aim was to study the mean annual incidence of juvenile arthritis in a population-based setting using two regional cohorts of children diagnosed with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) and JIA over a period of 31 years.Findings The study population was 651 children diagnosed 1980-2010. The mean annual incidence over the period was 9.9 per 100,000 children, with a range from 4.2 per 100,000 in 1980 to 17.1 per 100,000 children in 2010. When comparing incidence rate between the decade of diagnosis using rate ratios, there is a significant difference with diagnosis 1980-1989 as comparator.Conclusions We show a statistically significant increase in the incidence of JIA over three decades in a population-based cohort of children with juvenile arthritis.

Update – Systemische juvenile Arthritis

ZUSAMMENFASSUNGDie systemische juvenile idiopathische Arthritis nimmt unter den Kategorien der JIA eine Sonderstellung ein, klinisch aufgrund der obligat extraartikulären, systemischen Beteiligung, aber auch aufgrund der der vital bedrohlichen Komplikationen, Makrophagenaktivierungssyndrom und Lungenbeteiligung. Untersuchungen legen ein biphasisches Krankheitsgeschehen mit konsekutiven Eigenschaften einer autoinflammatorischen mit denen einer Autoimmunerkrankung nahe. Diese Erkenntnisse führten zu Therapieoptionen wie der IL-1- und IL-6-Blockade mit Biologika und zu Therapiealgorithmen, die zwischen früher Erkrankung und später Erkrankung unterscheiden, letztlich mit dem Ziel, der Nutzung eines „windows of opportunity“ zur Erreichung des Therapieziels der Remission.

Tacrolimus as an alternative treatment for patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods We retrospectively analysed 27 patients with JIA who received tacrolimus therapy at the Department of Pediatric Rheumatology of the Tokyo Medical and Dental University between April 2019 and August 2020. We collected background and clinical characteristics at the time of add-on tacrolimus therapy initiation (baseline; Month 0) and after 3, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome was successful medication reduction after 12 months. Patients requiring reduced and additional treatments were assigned as ‘did not require additional treatment patients’ and ‘required additional treatment patients’, respectively. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate the continuous distribution of laboratory data and Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-27 at 3, 6, and 12 months relative to baseline values. Statistical significance was set as p < .05. Results Among the 27 included cases, 17 patients were classified as did not require additional treatment patients, and there was a significant improvement in Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-27 scores in this group (p < .05). No patients presented tacrolimus-related adverse events throughout the study period. Conclusion Tacrolimus is an effective and safe therapeutic alternative for approximately 60% of patients with JIA.