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Intravenous laser blood irradiation with etanercept improved JIA symptoms
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Intravenous laser blood irradiation and etanercept therapy were more effective than a placebo laser treatment with etanercept in improving core symptoms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, according to recent study results.
Researchers studied 23 patients (mean age, 12.3 years) with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) between November 2011 and May 2013 in Romania. Fourteen masked patients (eight males) were randomly assigned intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI,) and nine masked patients (five males) received placebo laser. Ongoing therapy, including etanercept (mean dose, 0.4 mg/kg semiweekly), was maintained. Three sets of ILBI were administered in five consecutive daily sessions, with a 7-week interval between each session. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Pediatric Criteria (ACR Pedi) was used for evaluation at enrollment, 10 and 20 weeks.
At 10 weeks, 85.7% of ILBI-treated patients achieved more than 30% improvement in at least three of the six core set variables used to assess disease activity, with no more than one variable worsening by more than 30% in ACR Pedi criteria (ACR Pedi 30). By comparison, 55.6% of placebo-treated patients met ACR Pedi 30 during the same period.
All patients achieved ACR Pedi 30 response at 20 weeks, and 92.8% of ILBI patients also met ACR Pedi 50 criteria compared with 55.5% of the placebo group. One patient in the ILBI treatment group fulfilled ACR Pedi 70 criteria at 20 weeks.
“ILBI and etanercept have an increased efficacy in promoting the remission of selected subtypes of JIA, if applied synergistically,” the researchers concluded. “Our significant results proved the value of ILBI in cases of moderate-to-severe polyarthritis.
“Further studies regarding laser therapy interaction with [tumor-necrosis factor-alpha] and the [laser therapy] cytokine family might explain its anti-inflammatory effect more accurately.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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