Efficacy of thalidomide for treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
- Author:
Tong-Xin HAN
1
;
Cai-Feng LI
;
Jiang WANG
;
Wei-Ying KUANG
;
Yi-Fang ZHOU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adolescent; Arthritis, Juvenile; blood; drug therapy; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Prednisone; therapeutic use; Retrospective Studies; Thalidomide; therapeutic use
- From: Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2011;13(8):631-634
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
METHODSTwelve children with JIA who did not respond to conventional treatment were administered with thalidomide (2 mg/kg daily). The symptoms, signs, and laboratory test results were compared before and after treatment. The thalidomide-related side effects were observed.
RESULTSThe average dosage of prednisone was reduced from 1.92 ± 0.16 mg/kg•d to 0.49 ± 0.42 mg/kg•d in the 12 patients 6 months after thalidomide treatment (P<0.01). Four patients did not need prednisone treatment any more. White blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP) and serum ferritin (SF) significantly decreased after treatment in all of 12 patients (P<0.01). Hemoglobin level increased to normal in 8 patients after treatment (P<0.01). The number of affected joints decreased from 5 before treatment to zero to 2 after treatment in patients with polyarticular JIA (P<0.01). Signs of hip involvement and Schober's sign turned negative in enthesitis-related cases. No thalidomide-related side effects were observed.
CONCLUSIONSThalidomide is effective in the treatment of JIA in children who do not respond to conventional treatment.
