A randomized study of local anesthesia for pain control during intra-articular corticosteroid injection in children with arthritis.

Background: Intra-articular corticosteroid injections (IACI) are routinely used by pediatric rheumatologists in the treatment of chronic arthritis. Frequently, topical anesthetics are used to control procedural pain, but their relative efficacy has not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the level of pain associated with different anesthetic methods, Numby® 900 Iontophoretic Drug Delivery System, or EMLA® cream, with or without subcutaneous buffered lidocaine (SQBL), during IACI of the knee in children with arthritis.

Novel method to collect medication adverse events in juvenile arthritis: results from the childhood arthritis and rheumatology research alliance enhanced drug safety surveillance project.

Objective: Few data are available regarding the rates of serious adverse events (SAEs) and important medical events (IMEs) outside of product-based registries and clinical trials for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The Enhanced Drug Safety Surveillance Project (EDSSP) was developed to pilot a novel system to collect SAEs/IMEs in children with JIA. This analysis reports the results from this 4-year (2008-2012) EDSSP.

Safety of celecoxib and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results of the Phase 4 registry.

Background: This study aimed to assess long-term safety and developmental data on juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients treated in routine clinical practice with celecoxib or nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsNSAIDs).

Methods: Children aged ≥2 to <18 years with rheumatoid-factor-positive or -negative polyarthritis, persistent or extended oligoarthritis, or systemic arthritis were enrolled into this prospective, observational, multicenter standard-of-care registry. Eligible patients were newly or recently prescribed (≤6 months) an nsNSAID or celecoxib.

Developing a standardized approach to the assessment of pain in children and youth presenting to pediatric rheumatology providers: a Delphi survey and consensus conference process followed by feasibility testing.

Background: Pain in children with rheumatic conditions such as arthritis is common. However, there is currently no standardized method for the assessment of this pain in children presenting to pediatric rheumatologists. A more consistent and comprehensive approach is needed to effectively assess, treat and monitor pain outcomes in the pediatric rheumatology population.

Abatacept improves health-related quality of life, pain, sleep quality, and daily participation in subjects with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in abatacept-treated children/adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: In this phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, subjects with active polyarticular course JIA and an inadequate response/intolerance to ≥1 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (including biologics) received abatacept 10 mg/kg plus methotrexate (MTX) during the 4-month open-label period (period A). Subjects achieving the American College of Rheumatology Pediatric 30 criteria for improvement (defined "responders") were randomized to abatacept or placebo (plus MTX) in the 6-month double-blind withdrawal period (period B).

Pediatric patient with systemic lupus erythematosus & congenital acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: An unusual case and a review of the literature.

The coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients with congenital human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is rare. This is a case report of a child diagnosed with SLE at nine years of age. She initially did well on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, hydroxychloroquine, and steroids.

Multicenter validation of a new quality of life measure in pediatric lupus.

Objective: Pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic fluctuating disease that significantly impacts quality of life (QOL). There is no pediatric SLE-specific health-related QOL (HRQOL) scale. Our objective was to develop and validate a new pediatric SLE-specific HRQOL scale.

Treatment of refractory sarcoidal parotid gland swelling in a previously reported unresponsive case.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease that is seen occasionally in patients with characteristic bilateral parotid gland swelling. Conventional therapy has involved either no treatment because of spontaneous remission or corticosteroids when organ involvement is severe.

Case Description: The authors describe a previously published case report of a patient with sarcoidosis with parotid gland swellings who did not respond to standard therapy.