Efficacy of thalidomide in systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Thalidomide is an immunomodulating agent which reverses many of the cytokine disturbances seen in systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SoJIA) with inadequate response to other treatments. We report 3 cases of recalcitrant SoJIA which improved dramatically after treatment with thalidomide.PatientsThree children aged 9, 8, and 6 years diagnosed with SoJIA treated with conventional therapy including NSAIDs, corticosteroids, methotrexate and etanercept failed to respond fully and their condition worsened. Thalidomide was begun based on two previous reports showing its efficacy in recalcitrant SoJIA.ResultsThalidomide produced successful remission of the disease in all 3 patients according to the preliminary criteria for inactive disease and clinical remission of JIA.ConclusionThalidomide may be a viable, alternative corticoid-sparing therapy in patients with recalcitrant, multidrug-resistant SoJIA.