Evaluation of Effectiveness and Outcome of Interleukin-6 Inhibitor Treatment in Patients with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Background: Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is determined by prominent multisystemic involvements with onset before the age of 16 years, of which IL-6 has a significant role in the inflammatory process. Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a human anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, which modulates IL-6 activity by blocking its binding to the soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptor. No comprehensive study has been done regarding the use of IL-6 inhibitors in the treatment of sJIA patients in Iran. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness and outcome of IL-6 inhibitor treatment in Iranian children with sJIA. Methods and Materials: This is a case-control study including twenty patients diagnosed with sJIA divided equally into two groups of case and control who received TCZ and corticosteroids, respectively. Subsequently, various clinical and laboratory features were compared among these two groups. Results: A significant difference before and after TCZ has been seen in terms of height increase, weight gain, decrease in leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and ESR, CRP negativity, and arthritis improvement. Conclusion: Considering the favorable effects of TCZ in the control of sJIA, by producing this drug in the country and making it available to patients at a lower cost, it is possible to better control the disease and reduce the harmful effects caused by the disease and reduce the long-term use of corticosteroids.