The application of biologic and targeted therapies for children suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has outpaced that of more conventional treatments in recent years, according to findings from Rutgers Health researchers.
The application of biologic and targeted therapies for children suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has outpaced that of more conventional treatments in recent years, according to findings from Rutgers Health researchers.
A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology reviewed over 20 years of data involving nearly 14,000 children diagnosed with JIA across the country.
According to the National Institutes of Health and previous studies, juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects approximately 16 to 150 out of every 100,000 children in North America and is characterized by chronic inflammation that leads to ongoing joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. The goal of JIA treatment is to ease symptoms, ensure normal physical movement and growth, prevent long-term damage and vision impairment, and enhance the quality of life. Many investigations concerning the use of antirheumatic drugs have concentrated more on adults with arthritis rather than on children with JIA, as noted by the researchers.
“JIA can significantly impact the lives of affected children and their families,” commented Daniel Horton, a faculty member at the Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science (PETS) and a senior author of the study. “Fortunately, we have seen a remarkable transformation in treatment options in recent years, offering individuals with JIA many more potentially effective therapies.”
The researchers analyzed data from privately insured individuals over the last twenty years, which allowed them to identify trends during a notable increase in the variety of treatments available for JIA. Although newer disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs tend to be more expensive, they often prove to be more effective and are generally better tolerated compared to older traditional medications.
“Our research sheds light on the changing real-world treatment approaches for children dealing with JIA,” stated Priyanka Yalamanchili, the lead author of the study, PETS trainee, and recent graduate from Rutgers School of Public Health’s master’s program in epidemiology with a concentration in pharmacoepidemiology.
There has been more than a 45% decrease in the initiation of conventional therapies, which are increasingly being overshadowed by the usage of newer biologic or targeted treatments. The use of adalimumab, a leading biologic therapy, has consistently increased since its first approval for rheumatoid arthritis in 2002, making up nearly 80% of the initial biologic or targeted treatments administered for JIA by 2022.
“This study lays the groundwork for future research that will compare the safety and effectiveness of various therapies used to treat JIA,” explained Horton, an associate professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers School of Public Health, as well as the faculty director of the Rutgers Institute for Health Survey/Data Core, which facilitated access to the data analyzed.
This research will also be presented at the American College of Rheumatology Convergence on Saturday, Nov. 16, in Washington, D.C.
