Pascal Pillet

Efficacy of cyclosporine A in the treatment of macrophage activation syndrome in juvenile arthritis: Report of five cases

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of cyclosporine A in the treatment of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) occurring in children with juvenile arthritis. STUDY DESIGN MAS developed in two boys and three girls with systemic juvenile arthritis (four) and polyarticular juvenile arthritis (one). In three children whose condition was life-threatening, increased parenteral administration of corticosteroids failed to improve their condition; therefore cyclosporine A (2 to 5 mg/kg per day) was added. In two other patients with less severe clinical manifestations, cyclosporine A alone (2 to 8 mg/kg per day) was given. RESULTS After the introduction of cyclosporine A, rapid improvement was obtained in all patients and apyrexia occurred within 24 to 48 hours. The biologic abnormalities disappeared more slowly (up to 5 weeks for liver enzymes). CONCLUSIONS These observations underline the usefulness of cyclosporine A in this complication. The use of this drug may circumvent the need for increased doses of corticosteroids in some patients. The mechanism of action of cyclosporine A remains speculative, but these results indicate indirectly that T-helper lymphocytes may play a role in the pathogenesis of MAS.

Abdominal manifestations in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: Childhood-onset lupus erythematosus is a rare disorder of unknown origin. Objectives: To describe the frequency of gastrointestinal manifestations at presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus SLE and at follow-up, and discuss the specific causes of these manifestations. Methods: Medical records of 201 patients with childhood-onset SLE followed up in French paediatric nephrological, haematological and rheumatological centres were reviewed and abstracted for gastrointestinal manifestations. Results: Gastrointestinal involvement was recorded in 39 (19%) children. The median (range) age at the time of initial gastrointestinal manifestations was 11.3 (4.5–16) years. Gastrointestinal symptoms were present at or occurred within 1 month after diagnosis in 32% patients. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom, present in 34 (87%) patients. It was mostly related to lupus involvement, especially ascites (n = 14) and pancreatitis (n = 12), more rarely to treatment-induced events (n = 1) or infection (n = 1) and never to events unrelated to SLE. Three children with surgical abdomen underwent a laparotomy before SLE was diagnosed, with a final diagnosis of lupus peritonitis and lupus acalculous cholecystitis. C reactive protein values were <40 mg/l in all but two patients who had surgical abdomen. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography scans were abnormal in 58% and 83% of the evaluated patients, respectively. Corticosteroids, associated with intravenous cyclophospamide in eight patients, led to complete remission of gastrointestinal involvement in 30 of 31 treated patients. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal involvement is common in children with SLE, and is mainly due to primary lupus involvement. Corticoidsteroid treatment should be promptly considered in children with lupus presenting with abdominal pain after infectious disease; side effects of treatment and intestinal perforation have been excluded.

PFAPA syndrome is not a sporadic disease

OBJECTIVES To determine whether PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis) patients have a positive family history (FH) for recurrent fever syndromes. METHOD For all patients with PFAPA seen in two paediatric rheumatology centres (Romandy, Switzerland and Bordeaux, France), parents were interviewed to record the FH for periodic fever. As controls, we interviewed a group of children without history of recurrent fever. RESULTS We recruited 84 patients with PFAPA and 47 healthy children. The FH for recurrent fever (without an infectious cause and recurring for at least half a year) was positive in 38/84 (45%), and was positive for PFAPA (diagnosis confirmed by a physician) in 10/84 (12%) of the PFAPA patients. For 29 of the 38 patients with positive FH, the affected person was a sibling or a parent. None of the healthy children had a positive FH for recurrent fever or PFAPA. A positive FH for rheumatological diseases was seen in both groups of children. CONCLUSION These data show that a significant percentage of PFAPA patients present a positive FH of recurrent fever and PFAPA. This familial susceptibility suggests a potential genetic origin for this syndrome.

A preliminary score for the assessment of disease activity in hereditary recurrent fevers: results from the AIDAI (Auto-Inflammatory Diseases Activity Index) Consensus Conference

Background The systemic autoinflammatory disorders (SAID) share many clinical manifestations, albeit with variable patterns, intensity and frequency. A common definition of disease activity would be rational and useful in the management of these lifelong diseases. Moreover, standardised disease activity scores are required for the assessment of new therapies in constant development. The aim of this study was to develop preliminary activity scores for familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency, tumour necrosis factor receptor-1-associated periodic syndrome and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS). Methods The study was conducted using two well-recognised consensus formation methods: the Delphi technique and the nominal group technique. The results from a two-step survey and data from parent/patient interviews were used as preliminary data to develop the agenda for a consensus conference to build a provisional scoring system. Results 24 of 65 experts in SAID from 20 countries answered the web questionnaire and 16 attended the consensus conference. There was consensus agreement to develop separate activity scores for each disease but with a common format based on patient diaries. Fever and disease-specific clinical variables were scored according to their severity. A final score was generated by summing the score of all the variables divided by the number of days over which the diary was completed. Scores varied from 0 to 16 (0–13 in CAPS). These scores were developed for the purpose of clinical studies but could be used in clinical practice. Conclusion Using widely recognised consensus formation techniques, preliminary scores were obtained to measure disease activity in four main SAID. Further prospective validation study of this instrument will follow.

Validation of the French version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVES To translate, cross-culturally adapt, and validate the functional disability tool Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ), a variant of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). CHILDREN AND METHODS The disability index is the mean of the scores on the eight domains of the CHAQ and can range from 0 (no disability) to 3 (maximum disability). The CHAQ was first translated into French and adapted, then validated in a multicenter cross-sectional study in 306 children with JIA (systemic onset, 23%; polyarticular onset, 22%; extended oligoarticular subtype, 25%; and persistent oligoarticular subtype, 30%). RESULTS Overall CHAQ scores discriminated between the four JIA subtypes (systemic: 1.1 +/- 0.9; polyarticular: 0.8 +/- 0.7, extended oligoarticular 0.8 +/- 0.7, and persistent oligoarticular: 0.4 +/- 0.5 [P < 0.0001]). Reproducibility evaluated by test-retest at a 7-day interval was excellent (intraclass coefficient, 0.91), as was agreement between the Parents and Childrens versions of the questionnaire (intraclass coefficient, 0.89). Significant correlations were found between the overall CHAO score and variables reflecting disease severity (joint counts, physicians and parents global assessments, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), indicating excellent convergent validity of the tool. CONCLUSION The French version of the CHAQ displays good psychometric characteristics, although its sensitivity to change remains to be established. The French version of the CHAO should prove useful in international studies and can be expected to be helpful for monitoring individual patients with JIA.

Recommandations pour la prise en charge des formes oligoarticulaire et polyarticulaires (en dehors de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde) d’arthrite juvénile idiopathique ☆

A guideline group of pediatric rheumatologist experts elaborated guidelines related to the management of idiopathic juvenile arthritis in association with the Haute Autorité de santé (HAS). A systematic search of the literature published between 1998 and August 2008 and indexed in Pubmed was undertaken. Here, we present the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment in oligoarticular and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (except for spondylarthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis).

Efficacy, safety and effect on gene expression profiling of anakinra in systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis: final results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (ANAJIS)

Open Access Poster presentation Efficacy, safety and effect on gene expression profiling of anakinra in systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis: final results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (ANAJIS) P Quartier*1, F Allantaz2, R Cimaz3, P Pillet4, O Richer4, M Desjonqueres3, A Duquesne3, C Messiaen1, C Bardin5, X Bossuyit6, A Boutten7, J Bienvenu8, V Menoni1, S Sotou-Bere1, B Neven1, N Mahloui1, A Mogenet1, B Kassai3, D Chaussabel2, JM Treluyer1, JL Bresson1, P Landais1 and V Pascual2

Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Patients With Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes: A Large Database Study

To determine the type and frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms at onset and during followup of cryopyrin‐associated periodic syndromes (CAPS).

Clinical dose effect and functional consequences of R92Q in two families presenting with a TRAPS/PFAPA‐like phenotype

TNF receptor‐associated syndrome (TRAPS) is a dominantly inherited autoinflammatory condition caused by mutations in the TNFRSF1A gene. The mechanism underlying the variable expressivity of the common variant R92Q (rs4149584; c.362G>A; p.Arg121Gln) is unclear and is of critical importance for patient care and genetic counseling. This study evaluated the impact of the number of R92Q mutations in two unique unrelated families.

Real-world experience and impact of canakinumab in cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome: Results from the French observational study ENVOL.

The ENVOL study was designed to assess the psychosocial impact of disease and therapy in a French cohort of cryopyrin‐associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) patients (and caregivers) treated with canakinumab.