Patient perceived needs and experiences of person-centered care in patients with inflammatory arthritis.

Background: Health care is shifting toward a person-centered care (PCC) approach. For implementation of PCC, there may be a special role for nurse practitioners (NPs).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the patient-perceived levels of and needs for of PCC in inflammatory arthritis patients who visited the NP at the outpatient clinic of an academic hospital in the Netherlands.

Disease activity and dropout in young persons with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in transition of care: a longitudinal observational study.

Objectives: Reaching a certain age, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients in paediatric care are transferred to adult care. An increased disease activity after transfer and increased dropout has been suggested, however, evidence is scarce. Our aim is to determine whether the process of transition is associated with increased disease-activity and dropout, and to identify associated factors.

Use and perceived relevance of health-related Internet sites and online contact with peers among young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of use and relevance of health-related Internet (HRI) sites and online peer support groups and their association with demographic, disease-related and psychosocial variables in young people with JIA.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 176 young people (10-27 years of age) with JIA were asked to complete a questionnaire. The frequency of using HRI sites (regarding information, medication use and aspects of JIA relating to social life), online peer contact and perceived relevance of HRI sites and online peer communication were determined.

Patient-reported joint count in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: the reliability of a manikin format.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of a manikin format, patient-reported joint count in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and to detect changes in agreement at a second visit.

Methods: Patients with JIA aged 12-21 were asked to mark joints with active arthritis on a manikin before their regular clinic visit. The physician then performed a joint count without having seen the patient's assessment.

Trends in prescription of biological agents and outcomes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results of the Dutch national Arthritis and Biologics in Children Register.

Background: Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has changed dramatically since the introduction of biological agents in 1999.

Objective: To evaluate trends in prescription patterns of biological agents and the subsequent outcome of JIA.

Methods: The Arthritis and Biologics in Children register (multicentre prospective observational study) aimed to include all consecutive patients with JIA in the Netherlands who had started biological agents since 1999.

Treatment choices of paediatric rheumatologists for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: etanercept or adalimumab?

Objectives: To evaluate differences in baseline characteristics between etanercept- and adalimumab-treated JIA patients and to reveal factors that influence the choice between these TNF inhibitors, which are considered equally effective in the recent ACR recommendations for JIA treatment.

Methods: Biologic-naïve JIA patients with active arthritis who started treatment with adalimumab or etanercept between March 2008 and December 2011 were selected from the Dutch Arthritis and Biologicals in Children register. Baseline characteristics were compared.

Tumour necrosis factor-blocking agents in persistent oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from the Dutch Arthritis and Biologicals in Children Register.

Objective: Because TNF inhibitors are not approved for persistent oligoarticular JIA (oJIA), although they are used off-label, we evaluated their effectiveness in patients in this category.

Methods: Persistent oJIA patients were selected from the Dutch Arthritis and Biologicals in Children (ABC) register, an ongoing multicentre prospective study that aims to include all Dutch children with JIA using biologic agents. Response was assessed by the JIA core-set disease activity variables and modified Wallace criteria for inactive disease.

Aerobic capacity and disease activity in children, adolescents and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Background: As patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) progress into adulthood, long-term outcome is determined by disease activity, physical and psychosocial development. Decreased aerobic capacity may play a critical role in health-related outcomes in JIA, since it has been linked with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in late adulthood. The objectives of the current study are to examine the aerobic capacity and its relation to parameters of disease activity in children, adolescents and young adults with JIA.

Effectiveness and safety of a second and third biological agent after failing etanercept in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from the Dutch National ABC Register.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of switching to a second or third biological agent in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) after etanercept failure.

Methods: The Arthritis and Biologicals in Children Register aims to include all Dutch JIA patients who have used biological agents. Data on the disease course were used to estimate drug survival with Kaplan-Meier and calculate adverse event (AE) rates.

Evaluating score distributions in the revised Dutch version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire.

Objectives: Evaluating the original, and the revised version of the Dutch Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ). To explore the effect of different score calculation methods and eight more challenging items as proposed by Lam et al. (2004) on the score distribution in a population of patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).