Efficacy and safety of TNF inhibitors in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVE: A systematic literature review was conducted to summarize efficacy and safety data from studies that evaluated tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: Relevant publications were identified via online searches (cutoff: March 16, 2021). After screening search results, outcome data were extracted if the treatment arm included ≥ 30 patients. Outcomes were described narratively, with efficacy assessed by JIA-American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria and safety assessed by the incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) per 100 patient-years (100PY). RESULTS: Among 87 relevant publications included in the qualitative synthesis, 19 publications described 13 clinical trials. Across the 13 trials, the percentages of patients who achieved JIA-ACR30/50/70/90 responses at Week 12 with adalimumab ranged 71–94%, 68–90%, 55–61%, and 39–42%, respectively; with etanercept (Week 12), 73–94%, 53–78%, 36–59%, and 28%; with golimumab (Week 16), 89%, 79%, 66%, and 36%; and with infliximab (Week 14), 64%, 50%, and 22% (JIA-ACR90 not reported). SAE incidence across all time points ranged 0–13.7 SAE/100PY for adalimumab, 0–20.0 SAE/100PY for etanercept, and 10.4–24.3 SAE/100PY for golimumab (1 study). SAE incidence could not be estimated from the 2 infliximab publications. CONCLUSION: Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors are effective and well tolerated in the treatment of JIA, but additional evidence from head-to-head studies and over longer periods of time, especially in the context of the transition from pediatric to adult care, would be useful. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12969-023-00798-8.