Background:The efficacy of tocilizumab for treatment patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) was demonstrated before. We want to describe tocilizumab drug survival based on data from a single-center observation.Objectives:To analyze the drug survival of tocilizumab in patients with sJIA treated at the National Medical Research Center of Children`s health, Moscow, Russia.Methods:Medical records from sJIA patients treated with tocilizumab (TOC) were analyzed retrospectively from the National Medical Research Center of Children`s health, Moscow, Russia.Results:One hundred ninety-two patients presenting with sJIA were included in this observation, with a median age at treatment initiation of 7,2 (interquartile range, IQR 3,9-10,8) years and a median disease duration of 1,9 (IQR 0,4-5,9) years. All patients had been bio-naive. TOC therapy was highly effective in patients with sJIA. At 6 month of follow-up 148/172 (86%) patients achieved inactive disease according the criteria C. Wallace, disease activity persisted in 24/172 (14%) patients. At 1 year of medication 139/150 (92%) patients had inactive disease. We analyzed the reason of TOC withdrawal retrospectively. A total of 82/192 drug withdrawals were performed. TOC was discontinued due to primary ineffectiveness in 4 patients, due to secondary ineffectiveness in 39 patients. 33 patients achieved drug-free remission. Six patients developed side effects that required discontinuation of TOC therapy (4 patients had allergic reactions, 1 patient developed tuberculosis, 1 patient had severe neutropenia). 47/82 patients were switched on other biologic drug: on canakinumab (31), on TNF-inhibitors (11), on rituximab (5). In summary, TOC was canceled in 49/192 (25%) patients due to ineffectiveness or AEs in our cohort.Conclusion:These results demonstrated that TOC is highly effective as the first biologic drug in patients with sJIA. Our observations have shown a good tolerability and survival of the IL-6 inhibitor TOC in patients with sJIA treated in a real-world clinical setting.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening complication of systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) characterized by fever, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, coagulopathy, and rapid development of multiple organ failure. MAS is triggered by viral and bacterial infections, most often Epstein-Barr viruses, cytomegalovirus, influenza and parainfluenza viruses, parvavirus B19, yersiniosis, salmonellosis, sepsis.Despite modern diagnostic and treatment technologies, MAS still remains a formidable complication of sJIA, it is characterized by an aggressive course, a heterogeneous clinical presentation, especially in conditions of treatment with genetically engineered biological drugs, an ambiguous response to pathogenetic therapy and is accompanied by mortality in 5-10% of patients.Objectives:To analyze the clinical and laboratory features of MAS in children with sJIA and to study the genetic predisposition of this syndrome.Methods:The study included 24 patients with MAS who are being followed up in the rheumatology department of the National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health, Moscow. The clinical presentation and laboratory manifestations were assessed in 24, and genetic features were described in 7 patients using a new generation sequencing with further biostatistical processing of the obtained genetic data.Results:Of 24 patients, 23 (98%) had fever, 16 (68%) patients had rash, 17 (72%) - organomegaly, 4 (16%) - polyserositis, 2 (7%) - myalgia and myopathy. All 24 (100%) patients had an increase in ferritin level of more than 684 ng/ml, 98% of them had a high level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and 97% - a high level of triglycerides. In CBC, cytopenia was found in 80% of children: in 54% - erythrocytopenia, in 74% - leukopenia, in 88% - thrombocytopenia, in 15% - sharp decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate. In a coagulogram of 24 patients, 90% had an increase in D-dimer, 85% had a decrease in fibrinogen. Hyponatremia presented in 95% of patients. Thus, 85% of patients met the diagnostic criteria of the HLH-2004 protocol, adapted for children with sJIA. Genetic characteristics were analyzed in 7 children out of 94 patients with MAS. They are presented in Table 1. These patients have rare and frequent variants, as well as genes polymorphisms that are associated with macrophage activation syndrome.Table 1.The number of genetic variants in children with MAS (n=7).GenePatient № 1Patient №2Patient № 3Patient № 4Patient №5Patient №6Patient №7LYST02473464NLRC44444463NLRP12510644124NLRP31855575TNFAIP32220222UNC13D182510182618XIAP1100131Conclusion:The macrophage activation syndrome has a typical clinical presentation, there are clinical and laboratory manifestations: fever, hyperferritinemia, cytopenia, hyponatremia, increased levels of LDH and triglycerides, based on which, a diagnosis can be made. Patients with MAS at our center also had genetic characteristics that predisposed to the development of this condition.References:[1]Crayne CB, Albeituni S, Nichols KE, Cron RQ. The Immunology of Macrophage Activation Syndrome. Front Immunol. 2019 Feb 1;10:119. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00119. PMID: 30774631; PMCID: PMC6367262.[2]Henderson LA, Cron RQ. Macrophage Activation Syndrome and Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in Childhood Inflammatory Disorders: Diagnosis and Management. Paediatr Drugs. 2020 Feb;22(1):29-44. doi: 10.1007/s40272-019-00367-1. PMID: 31732958; PMCID: PMC7334831.[3]Ravelli A, Davì S, Minoia F, Martini A, Cron RQ. Macrophage Activation Syndrome. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2015 Oct;29(5):927-41. doi: 10.1016/j.hoc.2015.06.010. Epub 2015 Aug 25. PMID: 26461152.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a monogenic autoinflammatory hereditary disease characterized by recurrent episodes of fever with sterile peritonitis, pleural inflammation, arthritis, and/or erysipelas-like rash. Among all variants of the MEFV gene, according to the literature, five pathogenic ones have been identified, which in 75% of cases lead to the development of a typical clinical presentation: V726A, M694V, M694I, M680I, and E148Q. Among them, the M694V variant is the most common and occurs in patients with FMF in 20-65% of cases. At the same time, approximately 10 to 20% of patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for FMF do not have pathogenic variants in the MEFV gene. Despite the fact that the molecular genetic, pathogenetic and clinical features of the disease have been studied detailed, the diagnosis remains difficult due to the lack of a clear correlation between the patient’s clinical and genetic data.Objectives:To analyze the obtained genetic data of patients with pathogenic variants in the MEFV gene.Methods:The study included 103 patients who are mainly observed at the rheumatology department of the National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health of Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in Moscow. All patients underwent analysis of the MEFV gene using Sanger sequencing with further statistical processing of the data obtained.Results:Of 103 patients, the pathogenic variant of the MEFV gene was found in 93 patients (90.3%), in 10 patients (9.7%) - the pathogenicity of the revealed variant was contradictory. Of 93 patients with the pathogenic variant of MEFV, the clinical presentation of the disease fits to FMF in 37 patients (39.6%). 11 (29.7%) of them had a mutation in M694V. Out of 37 children who met the criteria for FMF diagnosis, 15 (40.5%) children had a homozygous pathogenic variant of MEVF, and 22 (59.5%) children had two mutations in a heterozygous state. 57 patients who do not have a typical clinical presentation, which is specifical for FMF are observed at the departments of rheumatology, cardiology and nephrology, 13 patients are on an outpatient observation, and 6 patients at the time of the study are over 18 years old. 8 (14%) of them had a mutation in M694V. Among 57 patients with pathogenic heterozygous variants in a, 22 patients (38.6%) are observed in the rheumatology department, among them:• Enthesitis-related arthritis - 2 patients (9%);• Systemic juvenile arthritis - 13 patients (59%);• Oligoarthritis - 5 patients (23%);• Polyarthritis- 2 patients (9%).Conclusion:Analysis of the obtained data showed that FMF is characterized by a combination of the clinical presentation and the pathogenic variant in the MEFV gene. However, the disease manifests itself not only in the homozygous pathogenic variant, but also in the combination of two mutations in heterozygous. The presence of one heterozygous mutation, generally, does not lead to the development of FMF.References:[1]Konstantopoulos, A. Kanta, C. Deltas, V. Atamian, D. Mavrogianni, A.G. Tzioufas, I. Kollainis, K. Ritis, H.M. Moutsopoulos, Familial Mediterranean fever associated pyrin mutations in Greece Ann. Rheum. Dis., 62 (2003), pp. 479-481, 10.1136/ard.62.5.479.[2]Gershoni-Baruch R, Brik R, Zacks N, Shinawi M, Lidar M, Livneh A: The contribution of genotypes at the MEFV and SAA1 loci to amyloidosis and disease severity in patients with Mediterranean Fever,Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism,Volume 43, Issue 3, 2013, Pages 387-391familial Mediterranean fever. Arthritis Rheum 2003; 48: 1149–1155.[3]Booty MG, Chae JJ, Masters SL, et al. Familial Mediterranean fever with a single MEFV mutation: where is the second hit? Arthritis Rheum 2009; 60:185.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:The safety of vaccination of children with rheumatic diseases is determined not only by the risk of adverse events but also by the risk of exacerbation of the disease. The simultaneous administration of several vaccines can increase the likelihood of these events.Objectives:To evaluate the clinical and laboratory signs of disease activity in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) after simultaneous vaccination against pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infections.Methods:We included hospitalized patients with JIA ages 2 through 18 without serious comorbidity, immunized with polysaccharide conjugate vaccines against pneumococcal (PCV13) and Hib infections. Vaccines were administered (0.5 ml each) concurrently subcutaneously into the deltoid area. In all children before and 3 weeks after vaccination, clinical (joints with active arthritis, uveitis activity) and laboratory signs (increased ESR, concentrations of highly sensitive C-reactive protein – hsCRP, and calprotectin) of JIA activity were assessed. Serum hsCRP and calprotectin were quantified by ELISA. The upper limit of the reference interval for hsCRP was considered (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) a value of 8.2 mg/L, for calprotectin – 2.9 μg/ml, and for ESR – > 10 mm/h.Results:The study included 430 patients with JIA (girls 60.9%), median (IQR) age – 11.1 years (7.3 to 14.4), onset of JIA – 4.7 years (2.4 to 8.6). Patients with persistent oligoarticular JIA numbered 149 (34.7%), polyarticular RF-negative – 148 (34.4%), systemic – 101 (23.4%), enthesitis-related – 20 (4.7%), and polyarticular RF-positive JIA – 12 (2.8%). Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were administered to 278 (64.7%), non-biologic DMARDs (mostly methotrexate) – 282 (65.6%), corticosteroids – 45 (10.5%), and NSAIDs – 18 (4.2%) patients. Three weeks after vaccination, out of 100 (23.3%) patients with initially active joints, signs of active arthritis remained in 96 patients, of which 16 patients had a decrease in the median (IQR) number of active joints by 4 (2 to 8). Among patients without active joints at baseline, signs of active arthritis were not subsequently detected. Before vaccination, 9 patients had uveitis in the exacerbation phase, 7 - in the subactive phase, and 41 - in the remission phase. After vaccination, exacerbation of uveitis persisted in 4 patients. There were no new cases of uveitis or its exacerbation. The dynamics of laboratory signs of JIA activity are presented in Table 1. Initially, the high concentration of calprotectin was found in 191 (44.4%) patients, and after vaccination – in 220 (51.2%) patients; the difference was 6.7% (95% CI 1.0 - 12.5); hsCRP - in 34 (7.9%) and 51 (11.9%) patients; the difference was 4.0% (95% CI 0.6 - 7.3); high ESR – in 76 (17.7%) and 41 (9.5%) patients; the difference was -8.1% (95% CI -11.6 to -4.7), respectively. An independent predictor of new cases of high concentration of hsCRP (n = 36), but not new cases of high concentration of calprotectin (n = 94), was the initial number of joints with active arthritis – odds ratio 2.37 (95% CI 1.14 - 4.93).Table 1.Laboratory signs of JIA activity after simultaneous administration of vaccines against pneumococcal (PCV13) and Hib-infectionsVariablesBaselineAfter 3 weeksRatio*p**Geometric mean (95% CI)Calprotectin, μg/ml2.93 (2.70 – 3.17)3.15 (2.92 – 3.40)1.08 (0.99 – 1.17)0.087hsCRP, mg/L0.69 (0.60 – 0.78)0.79 (0.69 – 0.90)1.15 (0.99 – 1.33)0.073ESR, mm/h4.4 (4.0 – 4.8)3.7 (3.4 – 4.0)0.84 (0.78 – 0.90)0.001Note. CI – confidence interval. * Ratios of paired observations (95% CI). ** P-value calculated in paired samples t-test.Conclusion:Simultaneous vaccination against pneumococcal (PCV13) and Hib-infections in children with JIA produced no negative dynamics of the traditional indicators of disease activity (joint activity, uveitis, high ESR). At the same time, 3 weeks after vaccination, an increase in the concentration of calprotectin and hsCRP was found in a small number of patients (<10%).Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common and prevalent rheumatic disease in childhood which is based on a chronic autoimmune inflammation. Inactive disease and remission are now the primary treatment goal in JIA and biologics have been playing an important role to reach this objective.The biologics of the first choice for the treatment of non-systemic JIA are the Tumor Necrosis Factor - alpha (TNFα) inhibitors; on this therapy patients can achieve clinically inactive disease and long-term remission.Currently, little is known about when or how to stop TNFα inhibitors, when a good clinical response is achieved, and therefore no guidelines are available.Objectives:To estimate the length of clinical remission after discontinuation of treatment with TNFα inhibitors in patients with non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.Methods:A total of 393 patients with JIA who were treated with TNFα inhibitors at the Rheumatology Department of the National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health (Moscow, Russia) were screened for inclusion in this retrospective study.Patients were treated with etanercept 1 times a week, 0.8 mg per kg of body weight per dose, with adalimumab 24 mg/m2 body surface area administered every other week until the end of therapy.Treatment was terminated abruptly. Inactive disease was defined according to the preliminary criteria of Wallace et al.[1]Results:77 patients (27—male, 50—female) with a mean age at diagnosis of 4 years (range 1–18 years) were included in the analysis. Of those, 69 of them discontinued TNFα inhibitors due to a long-term remission on treatment, 8 patients as a result of side effects, and there were excluded from our study.:allergic reaction (n = 5), development of uveitis (n = 1), alopecia (n = 1), recurrent infection (n=11).The clinical subtypes of JIA were RF-negative polyarticular JIA -28 (40,58%) oligoarthritis—38 (55,07%), enthesitis-related arthritis—3 (4,35%).TNFα inhibitors were started after a mean 46,43 (range 1–144) months of disease. The mean duration of therapy with TNFα inhibitors were 46,63 (range 10-113) months, with a mean duration of remission on medication 40,63 (range 6-107) months before withdrawal of TNFα inhibitors.40/69 (57,97 %) patients did not develop a disease exacerbation and remained in long-term remission off medication—more than 24 months.Early flares, that is less than 6 months after termination of TNFα inhibitors, were observed in 4/69 (5,8%) patients.29 (42,03%) patients restarted TNFα inhibitors after exacerbation, due to lack of improvement after no biological DMARDs. All patients in whom TNFα inhibitors were reinitiated responded satisfactorily.Conclusion:Among patients with JIA in whom TNFα inhibitors were discontinued after inactive disease was achieved, 57,97 % had disease in clinical remission more than 24 months after stopping anti-TNFα therapy. No association was observed between the duration of inactive disease prior to TNFα inhibitors cessation and the time to disease relapse. In addition, we also ob- served no correlation between the risk of flare and the length of anti-TNF α therapy after inactive disease was achieved. In our population, TNFα antagonists were withdrawn a median of 38 (4-107) months after inactive disease was achieved. Data from our experience with anti-TNF α agents in the treatment of JIA suggest that 57,97 % of patients can be successfully withdrawn from TNF α antagonists for at least 24 months.References:[1]Wallace CA, Giannini EH, Huang B, Itert L, Ruperto N, for the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG), and the Paediatric Rheumatology Interna- tional Trials Organisation (PRINTO). American College of Rheumatology provisional criteria for defining clinical in- active disease in select categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2011;63:929–36.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.