The American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) Journal of Clinical Apheresis (JCA) Special Issue Writing Committee is charged with reviewing, updating, and categorizing indications for the evidence-based use of therapeutic apheresis in human disease. Since the 2007 JCA Special Issue (Fourth Edition), the Committee has incorporated systematic review and evidence-based approaches in the grading and ca...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate serum interleukin (IL) 12 concentration in patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), according to disease subtype, activity, and duration. IL12 has been demonstrated to prime the selective expansion of T helper (Th) cells with a Th1-type pattern of cytokine production. METHODS Sixty eight serum samples from 50 JCA patients (12 systemic, 1...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate a group of 65 adults with a history of or persistent juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), on average, 26.4 yr after disease onset. METHODS Disease status at the time of the study included an evaluation of disease-related parameters assessed by the patient and the investigator. RESULTS Active disease was present in 37% of the study participants, of which 80% had either ext...

The increasing size, heterogeneity and complexity of communication networks have prompted many companies to invest in Integrated Network Management Platforms (INMP). These applications concentrate all tasks related to network management. But information found in other applications, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Costumer Relationship Management (CRM) and workflow applications can b...

A child with systemic onset juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) who developed a bilateral femuropopliteal vein thrombosis after plaster immobilisation following a tibial fracture is described. When the thrombosis was diagnosed, antiphospholipid antibodies detected either as lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies were found. This suggests that short term prophylatic antithrombotic treat...

Despite the fact that the aetiology of juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) is unknown, there is ample indirect evidence of a pivotal role of T cells in the onset and probably also in the maintenance of this autoimmune disease. Notwithstanding adequate firstand second-line anti-rheumatic therapy, systemic-onset JCA and polyarticular JCA will lead to destructive arthritis, growth retardation and sev...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate that the Spanish (Castillian) version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (cHAQ-S) is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the health status of children with juvenile chronic (or rheumatoid) arthritis (JCA) and is sensitive to change. METHODS A conceptual translation of the original questionnaire into Spanish and two back-translations were perfor...

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the incidence and prevalence of juvenile arthritis in a German urban population. METHODS All 766 paediatricians, orthopaedists, and rheumatologists working in practices or outpatient clinics in 12 south German towns were asked to report all patients who consulted them for juvenile arthritis during the year 1995. Patients with continuing symptoms were followed up for 9-1...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the national prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) in Chinese children in Taiwan. METHODS A nationwide prospective population based epidemiologic study for the prevalence of pediatric SLE and JCA was undertaken in Taiwan (23 million inhabitants). The population at risk was identified as children under the age of 16 living i...