Anti-tumor necrosis factor (aTNF) weaning strategy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): does duration matter?

To compare outcomes of a short and long weaning strategy of anti-tumor necrosis factor (aTNF) in our prospective juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) cohort.

JIA patients on subcutaneous adalimumab with at least 6 months of follow-up were recruited (May 2010–Jan 2022). Once clinical remission on medication (CRM) was achieved, adalimumab was weaned according to two protocols—short (every 4-weekly for 6 months and stopped) and long (extending dosing interval by 2 weeks for three cycles until 12-weekly intervals and thereafter stopped) protocols. Outcomes assessed were flare rates, time to flare, and predictors.

Of 110 JIA patients, 77 (83% male, 78% Chinese; 82% enthesitis-related arthritis) underwent aTNF weaning with 53% on short and 47% on long weaning protocol. The total flare rate during and after stopping aTNF was not different between the two groups. The time to flare after stopping aTNF was not different (p = 0.639). Positive anti-nuclear antibody increased flare risk during weaning in long weaning group (OR 7.0, 95%CI: 1.2–40.8). Positive HLA-B27 (OR 6.5, 95%CI: 1.1–30.4) increased flare risks after stopping aTNF.

Duration of weaning aTNF may not minimize flare rate or delay time to flare after stopping treatment in JIA patients. Recapture rates for inactive disease at 6 months remained high for patients who flared after weaning or discontinuing medication.