Biological therapy in pediatric rheumatology

: This article presents the unique experience of Research Centre of Children's Health in the treatment of 438 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis using biological preparations, viz. infliximab (270), adalimumab (55), ethanercept (25), rituximab (74), and tocilizumab (34). It is shown that differential biological therapy, unlike treatment with classical immunodepressants (methotrexate, cyclosporine, leflunomide, etc.), permits to achieve clinico-laboratory remission in 70% and markedly decrease activity of the disease in 20% of the patients within 1 year after the onset. It is concluded that treatment with gene-engineered drugs improves the quality of life of the children and their families, normal growth and development of the patients and affects prognosis of this formerly incurable chronic autoimmune disease.