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Glucocorticoids in the Management of Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

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Abstract

Glucocorticoids have been the mainstay of treatment for many years in systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), causing important side effects and some difficulties in the management of this disease. Until the introduction of biologic agents, oral glucocorticoids were used to control fever and other systemic features for several months or even years if systemic manifestations persisted. Nowadays, clinicians have valid alternatives that have revolutionized the natural history of sJIA. Biologic agents, such as the interleukin-1 inhibitors anakinra and the more recent canakinumab, or the interleukin-6 inhibitor tocilizumab, have improved the prognosis of this debilitating disease. Glucocorticoids still have to be considered at the onset of disease when a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy fails or when there are life-threatening complications such as severe anemia or pericarditis, or macrophage activation syndrome. Local (intra-articular) triamcinolone hexacetonide is the treatment of choice for arthritis limited to one joint or a few joints in patients without systemic activity. To date, there is still great heterogeneity in the management of sJIA patients, but in recent years there have been attempts to design algorithms and treatment protocols for glucocorticoids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and biologic agents. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of glucocorticoid therapy in sJIA, comments on recently published recommendations, and gives practical support to the clinician for management of this disease.

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Acknowledgments

No funding was provided for the preparation of this paper.

Conflicts of interest

The authors (G. Vannucci, L. Cantarini, T. Giani, E. Marrani, D. Moretti, I. Pagnini, G. Simonini and R. Cimaz) have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Unit, AOU Meyer and University of Florence, V. le Pieraccini 24, 50141, Florence, Italy

    Gaia Vannucci, Teresa Giani, Edoardo Marrani, Davide Moretti, Ilaria Pagnini, Gabriele Simonini & Rolando Cimaz

  2. Rheumatology Department, University of Siena, V. le Bracci 1, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Luca Cantarini

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  1. Gaia Vannucci
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  2. Luca Cantarini
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Correspondence to Gaia Vannucci.

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Vannucci, G., Cantarini, L., Giani, T. et al. Glucocorticoids in the Management of Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Pediatr Drugs 15, 343–349 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-013-0038-0

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