IS MTX EQUALLY EFFECTIVE IN THE DIFFERENT JIA ONSET TYPES?
JIA is a heterogeneous condition, and a different susceptibility to MTX treatment among its different onset types may exist. Past analyses of MTX efficacy by onset type have provided conflicting results. Moreover, the therapeutic response was evaluated by different criteria and seldom assessed at standard time points. In a retrospective study aimed at identifying potential predictors of MTX efficacy in a cohort of 80 children with JIA, we found that the extended oligoarticular subtype was the stronger predictor for both the short term clinical response and complete disease control. Patients with this subtype of JIA tended to experience earlier and more frequent relapse of their arthritis after MTX discontinuation16. These results suggest that MTX is more effective in the subset of JIA patients with the extended oligoarticular subtype. IS MTX A DISEASE MODIFYING AGENT IN JIA? Although the clinical efficacy of MTX in JIA is well established, it is still uncertain whether it has a disease
