Adalimumab shown to help patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

A new study has suggested that anti-TNF drug adalimumab can help children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

The research was carried out by a team from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio and the results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the trial, patients aged between four and17 with JIA were offered 24 mg of adalimumab (brand name Humira) per square meter of body-surface area subcutaneously every other week for 16 weeks.At this point, some continued with the adalimumab while the rest were offered a placebo.

Previously, all the participants had failed non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

It was found that 74 percent of patients not receiving methotrexate and 94 per cent of those receiving methotrexate enjoyed an improvement in the symptoms after being treated with adalimumab for 16 weeks.

After 48 weeks, the percentages of patients treated with methotrexate who had recorded improvements were significantly greater for those receiving adalimumab than for those receiving placebo.

As a result, Dr Daniel Lovell and the rest of the team concluded: "Adalimumab therapy seems to be an efficacious option for the treatment of children with JIA."

An Arthritis Research Campaign spokesman said that another anti-TNF drug, etanercept (Enbrel) was already available and effective in youngsters with JIA.

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