Biologic Therapies in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Abstract

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the general term of a group of diseases including psoriatic arthritis and other spondyloarthropathies. Although up to date most of drugs are used for the treatment of this disease, an exact cure can not be developed. The targets of the therapy are protecting joint functions, improving clinic symptoms and providing achievement of normal growth and physical development. Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs like methotrexate, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroids, antiinflammatory agents are used for providing these targets. In short and mid term periods promising results are validated from clinical trials related with anti cytokine therapy. Three of these drugs, etanercept, adalimumab and abatacept are approved by FDA for the treatment of JIA. We are expecting long term results of ongoing trials with a great interest. ‘Pediatric core set’ related with the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response levels are used for documentation of clinic results in research arena. New treatment researches are still going on and their results are expected hopefully.