HLA B27 allele types in homogeneous groups of juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients in Latvia

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous condition and therapeutic strategies vary in different JIA types. The routinely accepted practice to start with Sulphasalazine (SS) as the first line treatment in patients with HLA B27 positive JIA proves to be ineffective in a large proportion of children

Treatment approaches to juvenile dermatomyositis

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare disease of childhood with significant morbidity. Although the mortality and morbidity has improved over recent decades, it is still a chronic disease for a significant proportion of children with JDM. There is a paucity of controlled trials in both adult and juvenile dermatomyositis. In this article, the different therapeutic agents used in clinical practice are outlined. Furthermore, our approach to the treatment of JDM with methotrexate and aggressively tapered steroids in an algorithmic fashion, is discussed.</p