Treatment with etanercept leads to significant improvement in patients with active polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Etanercept is well tolerated by pediatric patients.

Adalimumab therapy seems to be an efficacious option for the treatment of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00048542.)

In a US cohort of 70 children with CNO, coexisting autoimmunity was a risk factor for multifocal involvement and treatment with immunosuppressive agents. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics were more likely to lead to clinical improvement than NSAIDs.

Conclusion. These data suggest that the acceptable safety profile of etanercept therapy is maintained for up to 8 years in this population of JRA patients. Improvements in the signs and symptoms of JRA were also maintained for up to 8 years.Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is the most common rheumatic disease in children (1,2). JRA is typified by joint inflammation that can cause joint damage, retard normal growth, and lead to long-term disability and decreased quality of life (3,4). Traditional treatment of children with JRA includes the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticoClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00357903.