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Report finds anti-rheumatic drugs more effective than other juvenile arthritis treatments

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Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs appear to be more effective than other treatments for pediatric patients with arthritis, according to a report from the US Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

While the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been found more effective than other treatments, the report noted there is still not enough evidence to support any one kind of DMARD over another.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report compared traditional treatments such as ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as corticosteroids, with DMARDs. Different types of DMARDs were also compared with each other, according to an AHRQ news release.

“The pain associated with juvenile arthritis can be debilitating and even excruciating for young patients and is a major concern for both patients and their families,” AHRQ director Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, stated in the release. “Until a cure for juvenile arthritis is found, patients want the best, safest treatment to relieve that pain. This report will help patients choose the right treatment together with their clinician.”

According to the release, although researchers had hoped the development of newer biologic DMARDs could put juvenile idiopathic arthritis into long-term remission for more patients, many unanswered questions about the long-term effectiveness and safety of the drugs remain. Thus, the report noted, the use of biologic DMARDs over nonbiologic DMARDs could not be supported with evidence.

The report, available at the AHRQ website, was prepared for AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program by the Duke Evidence-based Practice Center.

Reference:

• Kemper AR, Coeytaux R, Sanders GD, et al. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Comparative Effectiveness Review no. 28. AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC039-EF. September 2011.
• www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov

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