Occurrence of adverse events and change in disease activity after initiation of etanercept in paediatric patients with juvenile psoriatic arthritis in the CARRA Registry.

OBJECTIVE: Etanercept is commonly used to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis, including juvenile psoriatic arthritis (JPsA); however, information on etanercept's safety and effectiveness in clinical practice is limited. We used data from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry to evaluate etanercept's safety and effectiveness in JPsA in clinical practice. METHODS: We analysed safety and effectiveness data for paediatric patients enrolled in the CARRA Registry who had a JPsA diagnosis and had used etanercept. Safety was assessed by calculating rates of prespecified adverse events of special interest (AESIs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). Effectiveness was assessed by a variety of disease activity measures. RESULTS: Overall, 226 patients had JPsA and received etanercept; 191 met criteria for safety analysis and 43 met criteria for effectiveness analysis. AESI and SAE incidence rates were low. There were five events: three uveitis, one new-onset neuropathy and one malignancy. Incidence rates were 0.55 (95% CI: 0.18, 1.69), 0.18 (95% CI: 0.03, 1.29) and 0.13 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.09) per 100 patient-years for uveitis, neuropathy and malignancy, respectively. Etanercept showed effectiveness for JPsA treatment; 7 of 15 (46.7%) had an American College of Rheumatology-Pediatric Response 90, 9 of 25 (36.0%) had a clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 10-joint ≤1.1 and 14 of 27 (51.9%) had clinically inactive disease at the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Data in the CARRA Registry showed that etanercept treatment was safe in treating children with JPsA, with low AESIs and SAEs. Etanercept was also effective, even when assessed in a small sample size.

Disease Recapture Rates After Medication Discontinuation and Flare in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: An Observational Study Within the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry.

OBJECTIVE: Children with well-controlled juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) frequently experience flares after medication discontinuation, but the outcomes of these flares have not been well described. The objective of this study was to characterize the rates and predictors of disease recapture among children with JIA who restarted medication to treat disease flare. METHODS: Children with JIA who discontinued conventional synthetic or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for well-controlled disease but subsequently experienced a flare and restarted medication were identified from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) registry. The primary outcome was inactive disease (ID) (physician global assessment <1 and active joint count = 0) 6 months after flare. RESULTS: A total of 333 patients had complete data for ID at 6 months after flare. The recapture rate for the cohort was 55%, ranging from 47% (persistent oligoarthritis) to 69% (systemic arthritis) (P = 0.4). Approximately 67% of children achieved ID by 12 months. In the multivariable model, history and reinitiation of biologic drugs were associated with increased odds of successful recapture (odds ratio [OR] 4.79 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.22-18.78] and OR 2.74 [95% CI 1.62-4.63], respectively). Number of joints with limited range of motion was associated with decreased odds (OR 0.83 per 1 joint increase [95% CI 0.72-0.95]). CONCLUSION: Approximately half of JIA flares post-discontinuation were recaptured within 6 months, but rates of recapture varied across JIA categories. These findings inform shared decision-making for patients, families, and clinicians regarding the risks and benefits of medication discontinuation. Better understanding of biologic predictors of successful recapture in JIA are needed.

Optimizing the Start Time of Biologics in Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Comparative Effectiveness Study of Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Consensus Treatment Plans.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal time to start biologics in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) remains uncertain. The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) developed 3 consensus treatment plans (CTPs) for untreated polyarticular JIA to compare strategies for starting biologics. METHODS: Start Time Optimization of Biologics in Polyarticular JIA (STOP-JIA) was a prospective, observational, CARRA Registry study comparing the effectiveness of 3 CTPs: 1) the step-up plan (initial nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug [DMARD] monotherapy, adding a biologic if needed, 2) the early combination plan (DMARD and biologic started together), and 3) the biologic first plan (biologic monotherapy). The primary outcome measure was clinically inactive disease according to the provisional American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, without glucocorticoids, at 12 months. Secondary outcome measures included Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference and mobility scores, inactive disease as defined by the clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score in 10 joints (JADAS-10), and the ACR Pediatric 70 criteria (Pedi 70). RESULTS: Of 400 patients enrolled, 257 (64%) began the step-up plan, 100 (25%) the early combination plan, and 43 (11%) the biologic first plan. After propensity score weighting and multiple imputation, clinically inactive disease according to the ACR criteria was achieved in 37% of those on the early combination plan, 32% on the step-up plan, and 24% on the biologic first plan (P = 0.17). Inactive disease according to the clinical JADAS-10 (score ≤2.5) was also achieved in more patients on the early combination plan than the step-up plan (59% versus 43%; P = 0.03), as was ACR Pedi 70 (81% versus 62%; P = 0.008), but generalizability was limited by missing data. PROMIS measures improved in all groups, but without significant differences. Twenty serious adverse events were reported (mostly infections). CONCLUSION: Achievement of clinically inactive disease without glucocorticoids did not significantly differ between groups at 12 months. While there was a significantly higher likelihood of early combination therapy achieving inactive disease according to the clinical JADAS-10 and ACR Pedi 70, these results require further exploration.

National obesity trends in total knee arthroplasty.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and in the US, the age-adjusted obesity prevalence is 32% for men and 36% for women. The osteoarthritis risk is nearly four-fold for obese men and five-fold for obese women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the US national obesity trends of TKA utilization. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 2002-2009 datasets were merged to identify 753,268 TKAs. Over this period, obese patients represented 15% of all TKAs. Despite well documented concerns regarding perioperative complications associated with TKA in obese patients, TKA utilization doubled from 2002-2009. Additionally, 30% of obese patients had greater than 3 co-morbidities, compared to 7% in the non-obese group. With greater complication risks, the increasing TKA utilization in obese patients is concerning and warrants increased attention.

Comparative analysis of periarticular osteolysis in modern total hip bearings: a minimum 5-year study.

The best bearing to use in the young active population remains unknown because there are currently no evidence-based data to rely on. This article compares the prevalence of periacetabular osteolysis using computerized tomography in patients with metal-on-metal, ceramic-on-ceramic, and metal-on-cross-linked bearings at a minimum 5-year follow-up.

Are metal ion levels a useful trigger for surgical intervention?

The purpose of this study was to determine if cobalt and chromium ion levels can predict soft tissue damage at total hip revision. This study included 90 metal-on-metal total hip patients with preoperative cobalt and chromium ion levels. Tissue damage noted at revision surgery was graded on a 4-point scale. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for various threshold values. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted. Using 7 ppb as a threshold, cobalt and chromium ion levels had poor sensitivity and specificity (Co, 65% and 56%; Cr, 29% and 75%). Positive predictive values for cobalt and chromium were only 48% and 26% respectively. The area under the curve was 0.37 for cobalt and 0.44 for chromium. The length of time to revision significantly correlated with tissue damage (P = .001). Ion levels are unreliable predictors of periarticular soft tissue damage and should not be used in isolation as surgical intervention triggers.

Early failure of articular surface replacement XL total hip arthroplasty.

The ASR (articular surface replacement) XL (DePuy, Warsaw, Ind) metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty offers the advantage of stability and increased motion. However, an alarming number of early failures prompted the evaluation of patients treated with this system. A prospective study of patients who underwent arthroplasty with the ASR XL system was performed. Patients with 2-year follow-up or any revision were included. Failure rates, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores, and radiographs were evaluated. Ninety-five patients (105 hips) were included. There were 16 revisions. Thirteen (12%) were aseptic acetabular failures. Eight were revised for aseptic loosening; 4, for metallosis; 1, for malposition; 2, for infection; and 1, for periprosthetic fracture. Mean time to revision was 1.6 years (0.18-3.4 years). The ASR XL with a revision rate of 12% is the second reported 1 piece metal-on-metal system with a significant failure rate at early follow-up. This particular class of implants has inherent design flaws that lead to early failure.

Mortality following revision joint arthroplasty: is age a factor?

With the demand for total joint arthroplasty and overall life expectancy increasing, there will be an increase in the need for revision arthroplasty surgeries. Given that revision joint surgeries are more demanding for both surgeon and patient with longer operative times, increased blood loss, and multiple patient comorbidities, the current mindset is that older patients who undergo a total hip revision or total knee revision have higher mortality rates than younger patients. We identified 1737 revision total joint patients who were at least 2 years postoperative for inclusion in the study. The overall perioperative mortality rate (defined as deaths occurring between 0 and 3 months following revision joint surgery) was calculated and then stratified by revision knee surgery, revision hip surgery, and age. In addition, mortality rates were compared for patients younger than 70 years, between 70 and 80 years and older than 80 years. The overall perioperative mortality rate after revision total hip or knee surgery was 0.7%. After stratifying by age, the perioperative mortality rate was 0.2% in patients younger than 70 years, 0.8% in patients 70 to 79 years, and 2.63% in patients older than 80 years. Of the 1737 patients, 541 died >1 year following their revision surgery at an average time to death of 6.9 years. The observed perioperative mortality rates following revision total joint surgery at a single center were extremely low among all age groups. Therefore, the age of patients undergoing revision surgery should not be the sole determinant of perioperative survival. Additionally, it appears that the mean postoperative survival noted here seems to justify the additional resources used in revision surgery regardless of age. As limited resources exert pressure on an already overburdened healthcare system, rationing of care for certain procedures may ensue using age as a specific criteria. This study should add clarity to this issue.