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Axial involvement in enthesitis-related arthritis: results from a single-center cohort
Yanli Guo1, Yuying Fang1, Tonghao Zhang1
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
Insights
Children with axial enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) experience a more persistent and active disease course, often requiring more aggressive treatment strategies. Early recognition of axial involvement is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective management of this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) in children presents distinct characteristics between axial and peripheral involvement.
- Understanding these differences is key for appropriate patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical features and treatment patterns of children with axial ERA.
- To compare axial ERA with peripheral ERA.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study of 105 children with ERA at a single institution.
- Patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of axial joint involvement.
- Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Axial ERA patients showed a tendency for later onset and longer diagnostic delays.
- Higher inflammatory marker levels and increased hip involvement were observed in the axial group.
- Biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were more frequently used at diagnosis for axial ERA.
Conclusions:
- Axial ERA is a persistent, active disease requiring aggressive treatment.
- Early identification and classification of axial involvement are vital for optimal diagnosis and management.
Background:
Axial involvement in children with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) has characteristics that differ from those of peripheral involvement. This study characterized their clinical characteristics and treatment.
Methods:
Patients with ERA at the Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2018 and December 2020 were included. The ERA cohort was divided into two based on the presence or absence of axial joint involvement. Demographic characteristics, clinical features, and treatments were described and compared.
Results:
In total, 105 children with ERA were enrolled (axial ERA, n = 57; peripheral ERA, n = 48). The age at disease onset of the axial group tended to be higher (11.93 ± 1.72 vs. 11.09 ± 1.91 years) and the diagnosis delay was bigger in patients with axial ERA (10.26 ± 11.66 months vs. 5.13 ± 7.92 months). The inflammatory marker levels were significantly higher in patients with axial. There were no differences in HLA-B27 positivity between the groups (34 [59.65%] vs. 28 [58.33%], P > 0.05). Hip involvement was more frequent in the axial group (52.63% vs 27.08%; X2 = 7.033). A total of 38 (66.67%) and 10 (20.83%) patients with axial and peripheral ERA, respectively, were treated with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at diagnosis. The administration of biologics increased gradually in the axial ERA group, peaking at 18 months and decreasing thereafter, whereas that in the peripheral ERA group peaked at 6 months and began to decline thereafter.
Conclusions:
Axial ERA is a persistent active disease and requires a more aggressive treatment. Classification and early recognition of axial involvement may help with timely diagnosis and appropriate management.
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