Juvenile Arthritis News

CHICAGO - About 13% of patients with rheumatic diseases have interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary toxicity is associated with certain rheumatic therapies, including methotrexate, according to information presented at the American College of Rheumatology State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, here.

The disease spectrum was found to be similar in patients around the world with macrophage activation syndrome associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but treatment choices varied by region, according to the results of a study of 362 patients by 95 researchers in 33 countries.

The inappropriate use of NSAIDs, defined by the Italian Agency of Medicines as use for 21 days or more, for chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions may be prevalent in European patients, according to recently published research.

Fatigue was reported by 98% of patients with autoimmune disorders polled, and fatigue that prevented completion of everyday tasks was reported by 68% of the patients, according to a press release from the American Autoimmune Disease Related Diseases Association.

The NIH is soliciting input from physicians, researchers, foundations, patients, caregivers, members of the pharmaceutical industry and others to give feedback on its draft National Pain Strategy, according to a press release.

Measuring dynamic joint function was feasible and objective using an electrogoniometer in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, according to recently published study findings.

Following hip aspiration, children with synovial fluid white blood cell values of 25,000 cells/mm3 to 75,000 cells/mm3 were most commonly diagnosed with septic arthritis of the hip, according to study results.

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with enthesitis-related arthritis were observed to have significantly higher levels of tenascin-C than healthy young adults, according to researchers.

Among certain children with polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis who did not respond to monotherapy with methotrexate, combination methotrexate and leflunomide treatment appeared to be efficacious and maintain a durable response; however, two patients died after initiating treatment, according to researchers in Mumbai.

During an 11-year study period, boys in Western Australia with severe hemophilia A and acute hemarthrosis safely had joint aspiration to avoid joint damage, according to recently published research.