In some cases, chronic inflammation (specifically juvenile idiopathic arthritis) can lead to some growth delays. In a study published in The Journal of Rheumatology, researchers evaluated the growth in patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pcJIA) treated with tocilizumab.
In a phase III trial, patients with pcJIA who did not respond well to methotrexate received tocilizumab intravenously every 4 weeks (randomly assigned to 8 or 10 mg/kg if they weighed < 30 kg; received 8 mg/kg if they weighed ≥ 30 kg) for 16 weeks. The study had 188 patients aged 2 to 17 years.
Most Actemra-treated patients with polyarticular-course JIA increased in height https://t.co/esuyyPVkLk @jrheum
— The Journal of Rheumatology (@jrheum) August 24, 2018
After the original 16 weeks, those patients who demonstrated JIA American College of Rheumatology 30 responses were given either tocilizumab or placebo for 24 weeks, with an open-label extension through to 2 years.
Most #Actemra-treated patients with polyarticular-course #juvenile idiopathic #arthritis increased in height https://t.co/7FysMCfsv9 pic.twitter.com/9BBvaykLyH
— Healio Rheumatology (@HealioRheum) July 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/Dr___Mansour/status/1025397131400671232
According to the results, the mean height SD score (SDS) increased from baseline to year 2 (+0.40, p < 0.0001). In 74 of 103 patients (72%), height SDS was greater than at baseline, and mean height velocity was 6.7 ± 2.0 cm/year. “Among patients with pcJIA at Tanner stage ≤ 3 at baseline, 72% (74/103) had increased height SDS at the end of the study,” the researchers concluded.
Check out an article on the FDA’s guidance for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
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