Objective: To evaluate the social functioning and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in early adulthood. Methods: The patient files of the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital were screened to identify patients born in 1976-1980 diagnosed as having JIA. HRQoL was measured by the RAND 36-item health survey 1.0; spousal relationships and educational and employment status were assessed by questionnaire. The patients were invited to a follow up study. Age and sex matched controls from the community were identified in the Finnish population registry.
Diclofenac sodium was investigated in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). The pharmacokinetics of diclofenac in children aged 2-7 was assessed. Seven patients were included in a single-dose trial to determine plasma levels and renal elimination of diclofenac sodium. Venous blood samples were taken at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after administration of a 25 mg enteric-coated Voltaren tablet. Urine was collected before and 0-6 and 6-12 hours after tablet ingestion. Maximum concentrations ranged from 0.79 to 4.25 micrograms/ml, and were found between 0.5 and 2 hours. Renal elimination of total diclofenac ranged from 5.4 to 10.2% of the oral dose in 6 of the 7 patients. The youngest patient (2 years) had a lower elimination rate (2.25%) during the 12 hours observed. The values for children over 2 years corresponded to the range measured in adults. The pharmacokinetic study was followed by a placebo-controlled study with diclofenac sodium and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for 2 weeks in 45 hospitalized patients aged 3-15 years. The patients were randomly assigned to either: DS 2-3 mg/kg/day, microcrystallized ASA 50-100 mg/kg/day, or placebo matching diclofenac. Global evaluation of therapeutic efficacy showed improvement in 73% of the patients in the diclofenac group, in 50% of the ASA group and in 27% of the placebo group. A statistically significant difference between these groups was found (p less than 0.05). The sum of grades of joint tenderness decreased during the 2 weeks in 67% of patients in the diclofenac group, in 56% of the ASA group and in 36% of the placebo group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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