Retinal vasculitis in two pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report.

We report two pediatric female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who presented with decreased vision. Both patients were found to have retinal vasculitis and occlusive disease. The first patient also presented with vitreous hemorrhage and later non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy.

Management of pediatric patients with pseudotumor cerebri.

Introduction: The care of patients with pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension) involves ophthalmologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons. Its clinical characteristics in the pediatric population are distinct from those in adult patients.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-nine patients diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri were identified from the neurosurgery and neurology databases at Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Attainment of inactive disease status following initiation of TNF-α inhibitor therapy for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: enthesitis-related arthritis predicts persistent active disease.

Objective: To analyze the attainment of inactive disease following initiation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors in a heterogeneous cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: We performed retrospective chart review of all children with JIA at 1 academic center who had started TNF-α inhibitor therapy. We retrospectively determined inactive disease status according to the 2004 criteria of Wallace, et al.

Performance on rheumatoid arthritis quality indicators in an Alaska Native healthcare system.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is highly prevalent in some Alaska Native and American Indian populations. Quality indicators for RA have been proposed, but these have not been widely implemented or used to assess RA care in Alaska Native or American Indian populations.

Methods: Medical records were included if they met the following criteria: RA diagnosed before October 2000 fulfilling American College of Rheumatology classification criteria; all care for RA at the Alaska Native Medical Center.

Rituximab therapy for severe refractory chronic Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

To report on the efficacy of rituximab (RTX) therapy in standard treatment-refractory, chronic Henoch-Schönlein purpura, a retrospective chart review of 3 pediatric patients treated with RTX for severe refractory chronic Henoch-Schönlein purpura was performed. All 3 patients responded to 1 or 2 courses of RTX without serious adverse events.