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Patients with JIA experienced long-term anti-TNF cardiovascular safety
Despite observed mild subclinical diastolic involvement, long-term anti-tumor necrosis factor cardiovascular safety was demonstrated in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, according to study results.
At baseline, 25 polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients pre-anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and 22 healthy controls underwent conventional tissue Doppler echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers measurements, including N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and troponin T. During 2 consecutive years, 21 patients with JIA completed six evaluations, and researchers assessed clinical and laboratorial evaluations before and during TNF blockage therapy.
Patients with JIA were found to have significantly reduced isovolumetric relaxation time of left ventricle, ventricular septum, E’ wave and ventricular septum S wave velocity vs. controls, according to the researchers.
Elevated NT-pro-BNP and troponin T frequency levels were similar between the two groups. The researchers also found that, with the exception of one patient with mild troponin T elevation, levels remained within normal range through the study.
According to study results, none of the 21 participants with JIA experienced heart failure, ejection fraction or other parameters alterations in conventional and tissue Doppler during TNF blockage therapy, and only one participant had mild pulmonary hypertension.
Significantly more active joints and higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate were found among patients with JIA with elevated levels of NT-pro-BNP at baseline, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.