Feasibility of Conducting Comparative Effectiveness Research and Validation of a Clinical Disease Activity Score for Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis.

Objective: Prospective comparative effectiveness research (CER) in chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is lacking. Our objectives were to (1) determine the use and safety of each consensus treatment plan (CTP) regimen for CNO, (2) assess the feasibility of using the Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis International Registry (CHOIR) data for CER, and (3) develop and validate a CNO clinical disease activity score (CDAS) using CHOIR.

Methods: Consenting children or young adults with CNO were enrolled into CHOIR.

Efficacy and safety of emapalumab in macrophage activation syndrome.

Objectives: Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a severe, life-threatening complication of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). The objective of this study was to confirm the adequacy of an emapalumab dosing regimen in relation to interferon-γ (IFNγ) activity by assessing efficacy and safety. The efficacy outcome was MAS remission by week 8, based on clinical and laboratory criteria.

Expansion of CD4dimCD8+ T cells characterizes macrophage activation syndrome and other secondary HLH.

CD8+ T-cell activation has been demonstrated to distinguish patients with primary and infection-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) from patients with early sepsis. We evaluated the activation profile of CD8+ T cells in patients with various forms of secondary HLH (sHLH), including macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with inactive systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA, n = 17), active sJIA (n = 27), MAS in sJIA (n = 14), infection-associated HLH (n = 7), and with other forms of sHLH (n = 9) were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Tocilizumab for massive refractory pleural effusion in an adolescent with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Pleural effusion in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a common symptom, and recent studies demonstrated that IL-6 has a pivotal role in its pathogenesis.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 15 years old Caucasian boy with a history of persistent pleural effusion without lung involvement or fever. Microbiological and neoplastic aetiologies were previously excluded.

Assessment of disease activity using a whole-body MRI derived radiological activity index in chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis.

Background: Based on the recently developed ChRonic nonbacterial Osteomyelitis MRI Scoring tool (CROMRIS), we developed a radiological activity index (RAI-CROMRIS) to obtain a quantification of the overall bone involvement in individual patients.

Methods: Whole Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging (WB-MRI) images were scored according to parameters included in the RAI-CROMRIS: bone marrow hyperintensity, signal extension, soft tissue/periosteal hyperintensity, bony expansion, vertebral collapse. These parameters were evaluated for each bone unit yielding a score from 0 to 7 and summed up as RAI-CROMRIS including all bone units.

Hemoperfusion with CytoSorb to Manage Multiorgan Dysfunction in the Spectrum of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Syndrome in Critically Ill Children.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening condition characterized by a state of hyperinflammation. Blood purification techniques can blunt the inflammatory process with a rapidly relevant nonselective effect on the cytokine storm, thus potentially translating into survival benefit for these patients. In this cohort, we evaluated the impact of hemoadsorption with CytoSorb combined with continuous kidney replacement therapy used as adjunctive therapy in 6 critically ill children with multiple organ dysfunction due to HLH.

Canakinumab in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: real-world data from a retrospective Italian cohort.

Objective: The objective of this study was to use real-world data to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of canakinumab in Italian patients with systemic JIA (sJIA).

Methods: A retrospective multicentre study of children with sJIA was performed. Clinical features, laboratory parameters and adverse events were collected at baseline, and 6 and 12 months after starting canakinumab.

Monocytes From Patients With Macrophage Activation Syndrome and Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Are Hyperresponsive to Interferon Gamma.

Objective: To investigate the activation of the IFNγ signaling pathway in monocytes of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and to evaluate whether levels of phosphorylated STAT1 represent a biomarker for the identification of patients at early stages of the disease.

Methods: Fresh whole blood samples from pediatric patients with active sHLH/MAS, not receiving (n=10) and receiving glucocorticoids (n=14) at time of sampling, were prospectively collected. As disease control groups, patients with active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) without MAS, patients with sHLH/MAS in remission and patients with other rheumatic diseases were also sampled.

Early Treatment and IL1RN Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Affect Response to Anakinra in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of early treatment and IL1RN genetic variants on the response to anakinra in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Response to anakinra was defined as achievement of clinically inactive disease (CID) at 6 months without glucocorticoid treatment. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 56 patients were evaluated in univariate and multivariate analyses as predictors of response to treatment.

Subcutaneous dosing regimens of tocilizumab in children with systemic or polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: To determine s.c. tocilizumab (s.

Development and initial validation of a composite disease activity score for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To develop a composite disease activity score for systemic JIA (sJIA) and to provide preliminary evidence of its validity.

Methods: The systemic Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (sJADAS) was constructed by adding to the four items of the original JADAS a fifth item that aimed to quantify the activity of systemic features. Validation analyses were conducted on patients with definite or probable/possible sJIA enrolled at first visit or at the time of a flare, who had active systemic manifestations, which should include fever.

High prevalence of rare FBLIM1 gene variants in an Italian cohort of patients with Chronic Non-bacterial Osteomyelitis (CNO).

Background: FBLIM1 gene has been recently demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of bone sterile inflammation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of FBLIM1 gene variants in a cohort of 80 Italian patients with Chronic Non-bacterial Osteomyelitis (CNO).

Methods: The coding regions of FBLIM1 gene were sequenced in a cohort of 80 patients with CNO using DNA extracted from blood lymphocytes, and PCR products were sequenced.

Prevalence of cranial involvement in a cohort of Italian patients with chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis.

Objectives: Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is a non-infectious inflammatory disease characterised by uni- or multi-focal bone lytic lesions. CNO mainly affects metaphysis of long bones, pelvis and shoulder girdle. Neurocranium lesions are extremely rare.

The interferon-gamma pathway is selectively up-regulated in the liver of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Aim of this study was to investigate the activation of the IFNγ pathway in the affected liver and in the blood of patients with secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH). To this purpose, the mRNA expression levels of IFNG and IFNγ-inducible genes as well as Tyrosine (701)-phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) protein levels were evaluated in the liver and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of three patients with sHLH with predominant liver involvement. The mRNA expression levels of IFNG and IFNγ-inducible genes were markedly higher in patient livers compared to control livers and to one disease control liver.

Anakinra Drug Retention Rate and Predictive Factors of Long-Term Response in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Adult Onset Still Disease.

Only a few studies have reported long-term efficacy of interleukin (IL)-1 inhibition in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and adult-onset Still disease (AOSD). Herein we report on the effectiveness of anakinra (ANA), expressed in terms of drug retention rate (DRR), and evaluate the predictive factors of drug survival in a cohort of patients with sJIA and AOSD. This is a multicenter study reviewing retrospectively the medical records from 61 patients with sJIA and 76 with AOSD, all treated with ANA in 25 Italian tertiary referral centers.

An unusual presentation of purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency mimicking systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis complicated by macrophage activation syndrome.

Background: Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is an inflammatory condition that presents with fever, rash and arthritis. At onset systemic features are predominant and the diagnosis may be a challenge. Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) forms may be associated with different disorders, including rheumatic diseases, and this form is called macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).

Neutropenia During Tocilizumab Treatment Is Not Associated with Infection Risk in Systemic or Polyarticular-course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Objective: To determine whether neutropenia is associated with increased risk for infection in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pcJIA) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ).

Methods: Data up to Week 104 from 2 phase III trials of intravenous TCZ in sJIA (n = 112; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00642460) and pcJIA (n = 188; ClinicalTrials.

Drug Retention Rate and Predictive Factors of Drug Survival for Interleukin-1 Inhibitors in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Few studies have reported the drug retention rate (DRR) of biologic drugs in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and none of them has specifically investigated the DRR of interleukin (IL)-1 inhibitors on systemic JIA (sJIA). This study aims to describe IL-1 inhibitors DRR and evaluate predictive factors of drug survival based on data from a real-world setting concerning sJIA. Medical records from sJIA patients treated with anakinra (ANA) and canakinumab (CAN) were retrospectively analyzed from 15 Italian tertiary referral centers.

Variable Clinical Phenotypes and Relation of Interferon Signature with Disease Activity in ADA2 Deficiency.

Objective: An upregulation of type I interferon (IFN) stimulated genes [IFN score (IS)] was described in patients with adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency (DADA2). We describe the clinical course of 5 such patients and the role of IS as a marker of disease activity and severity.

Methods: Expression levels of IS were determined by quantitative real-time PCR.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: New insights into pathogenesis and cytokine directed therapies.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is considered as a polygenic autoinflammatory disease. The prominent systemic clinical features, the marked elevation of inflammatory markers, and the absence of autoantibodies make this disease very different from the other juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) forms. Innate immune mechanisms appear to play a central role: the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines of innate immunity is a typical feature of sJIA.