Intravenous Laser Blood Irradiation Increases Efficacy of Etanercept in Selected Subtypes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: An Innovative Clinical Research Approach
Table 2
Arthritis-related pharmacological therapy.
Characteristic
Group I—ILBI
Group II—Placebo
Statistical confidence
Current administration of DMARDs
Methotrexate—no. (%)
12 (85.6)
7 (77.8)
NS
Methotrexate mean dose ± SD per patient—mg/m2/week
NS
All patients receiving Methotrexate were also prescribed folic acid 5 mg, which was given the morning following Methotrexate administration, as per local protocol
Other DMARDs—no. (%)
0 (0)
0 (0)
NS
Current administration of corticosteroids
Oral corticosteroid—no. (%)
10 (71.4)
7 (77.8)
NS
Oral corticosteroid—Prednisolone equivalent mean dose ± SD per patient—mg/kg/day
NS
I.v. Prednisolone—no. (%)
4 (28.6)
2 (22.2)
NS
I.v. Prednisolone—no. of boluses per month per patient (30 mg/kg, max 1 g); mean ± SD
NS
Intraarticular Prednisolone—no. (%)
3 (21.4)
3 (33.3)
NS
Intraarticular Prednisolone—no. of joints per patient (1.5–2.5 mg/small joint; 25–50 mg/large joints); mean ± SD
NS
Current administration of biological agents
Etanercept—no. (%)
14 (100)
9 (100)
NS
Etanercept mean dose ± SD per patient—mg/kg, twice a week
NS
Other biological agents—no. (%)
0
0
NS
NS: nonsignificant difference between the two groups, value ≥ 0.05. DMARDs: disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
