Clinical remission rate and drug withdrawal status in articular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Background: The clinical remission rate of articular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) differs according to the disease categories. At present, there is no consensus regarding drug withdrawal after remission is achieved.

Objectives: To clarify the clinical remission rate and drug withdrawal status of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study in patients who developed articular JIA by 2017 and were followed up (2013-2022). The Wallace criteria were used as remission criteria.

Results: Forty-nine patients were included, i.e., 16 (33%) with polyarticular JIA (PJIA) and 33 (67%) with oligoarticular JIA (OJIA). Rheumatoid factor-positive (RF +) PJIA had significantly higher biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) introduction rates (86%, p < 0.01). The rate of clinical remission off medication was significantly higher in OJIA (67%). Numerous cases of RF + PJIA (50%), RF-negative (RF -) PJIA (25%), and OJIA (30%) flared within 2 years after conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug withdrawal. Patients with RF - PJIA and OJIA (two cases each) discontinued bDMARDs. Both RF - PJIA cases (100%) and half of OJIA cases (50%) flared within 2 years after bDMARD withdrawal. In one case of OJIA, remission was maintained after withdrawal of all drugs.

Conclusions: OJIA had the highest rate of clinical remission off medication (67%) versus others. In OJIA, it was possible to discontinue all drugs in some patients with OJIA receiving bDMARDs. In PJIA requiring bDMARDs, withdrawal of bDMARDs was difficult all two cases.