Aggressive Combination Drug Therapy in Very Early Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (ACUTE-JIA)

Comparison of Anti-TNF Therapy Plus Methotrexate, Combination Therapy of DMARDs, and Methotrexate Alone in Very Early Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. A National Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial.

Foundation for Paediatric Research, Finland, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finland, Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Scandinavian Rheumatology Research Foundation, Paijat-Hame Hospital District

The objective of this study is to compare in very early polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) the efficacy, safety, and cost-benefit-ratio of three treatment strategies: biologic combination, combination of conventional disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs), and methotrexate alone.

DMARD-naive polyarticular JIA patients with an early disease (onset less than 6 months) are randomized into one of three treatment strategies: (1) biological combination, i.e., anti-TNF therapy with infliximab plus methotrexate; (2) Combination of DMARDs with methotrexate, sulfasalazine, plus hydroxychloroquine; and (3) Methotrexate alone. The efficacy is evaluated by American College of Rheumatology Pediatric (ACR Pedi) criteria based on 6 core set variables (CSVs): 1. no of active joints; 2. no. of joints with pain or tenderness and limitation of motion; 3. ESR (mm/hr); 4. the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ); 5. Physician's Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); 6. Patient/Parent VAS. To fulfill ACR Pedi 75 criteria, 3/6 CSVs have to improve 75% and not more than 1/6 CSV worsen more than 30%. All direct and indirect costs are documented. The first phase of the study is open-label clinical trial lasting for 54 weeks. In the second phase of the study the patients are followed up to 5 years, and the long-term outcome of early aggressive therapy is analyzed. Serum, urine, and saliva samples are collected at 3 and 5 years for translational research.

juvenile idiopathic arthritis, polyarthritis, combination therapy, biologic agents, TNF antagonists, infliximab

infliximab 3-5 mg/kg every 6 weeks, plus methotrexate 15 mg/m2 weekly given orally (dose escalation if ACR Pedi less than 75). no oral prednisolone. intra-articular steroids allowed.

methotrexate 15mg/m2 weekly given orally (dose escalation and parenteral injection if ACR Pedi less than 75), plus standard doses of sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine. no oral prednisolone. intra-articular steroids allowed.

Conventional drug therapy: methotrexate 15mg/m2 weekly given orally (dose escalation and parenteral injection if ACR Pedi less than 75). no oral prednisolone. intra-articular steroids allowed.

IFX given 3-5mg/kg every 6 weeks, oral MTX given 15mg/m2 weekly. If ACR Pedi 75 is not reached by week 12, MTX dose is doubled up to parenteral 30 mg/m2 weekly dose. If patient does not reach ACR Pedi 30 after dose escalation, failure.

IFX given 3-5mg/kg every 6 weeks, oral MTX given 15mg/m2 weekly, SSZ 40mg/kg up to 2000mg daily, HCQ 5mg/kg daily. If ACR Pedi 75 is not reached by week 12, MTX dose is doubled up to parenteral 30 mg/m2 weekly dose. If patient does not reach ACR Pedi 30 after dose escalation, failure.

Oral MTX given 15mg/m2 weekly. If ACR Pedi 75 is not reached by week 12, MTX dose is doubled up to parenteral 30 mg/m2 weekly dose. If patient does not reach ACR Pedi 30 after dose escalation, failure.

Inclusion Criteria: juvenile idiopathic arthritis arthritis lasting for at least 6 weeks but not more than 6 months polyarticular disease with at least 5 active joints with at least 3 joints with pain or tenderness and limitation of motion no previous treatment with DMARDs Exclusion Criteria: systemic JIA any abnormality in the hematopoietic or lymphatic system any major concurrent medical condition inadequate psychosocial situation pregnancy a non-abstinent female with reproductive capacity without regular contraceptive use

Lahdenne P, Vahasalo P, Honkanen V. Infliximab or etanercept in the treatment of children with refractory juvenile idiopathic arthritis: an open label study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003 Mar;62(3):245-7. doi: 10.1136/ard.62.3.245.

Tynjala P, Vahasalo P, Tarkiainen M, Kroger L, Aalto K, Malin M, Putto-Laurila A, Honkanen V, Lahdenne P. Aggressive combination drug therapy in very early polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (ACUTE-JIA): a multicentre randomised open-label clinical trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2011 Sep;70(9):1605-12. doi: 10.1136/ard.2010.143347. Epub 2011 May 28.

Tarkiainen M, Tynjala P, Vahasalo P, Aalto K, Kroger L, Rebane K, Lahdenne P, Martikainen J. Economic evaluation of infliximab, synthetic triple therapy and methotrexate in the treatment of newly diagnosed juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2022 Nov 16;20(1):97. doi: 10.1186/s12969-022-00748-w.

Tarkiainen M, Tynjala P, Vahasalo P, Kroger L, Aalto K, Lahdenne P. Health-related quality of life during early aggressive treatment in patients with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2019 Dec 16;17(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s12969-019-0370-1.