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Aim The current study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of breastfeeding on the development and outcome measures of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The second aim was to determine the consequences of particular sociodemographic and sociocultural characteristics and nutritional behavior of early childhood on JIA. Methods The study includes the patients diagnosed with JIA and regularly followed up at the Department of Pediatric Rheumatology in Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa. The comparison group consisted of healthy subjects and patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE). A face-to-face survey method was conducted with the parents of the participants between February 1, 2021, and September 1, 2021. Results The mean age of the JIA cohort (n = 324) was 12.2 +/- 4.7 years, with a female ratio of 64.8%. The breastfeeding rate differed from the control groups (253 healthy subjects and 88 patients with jSLE) but was higher with a value of 94.8%. There was no difference between the groups (P = .097, P = .064) or within the subgroups of JIA (P = .12) regarding breastfeeding duration. Cow\"s milk introduction time (P = .02, P = .0001), household pet-keeping (P = .001), income level (P = .0001), maternal literacy (P = 0.013) made a statistical difference vs the control groups. Conclusion No relationship was established between the rate or duration of breastfeeding and the development or severity of JIA. The early introduction of cow\"s milk was found to be higher in the patient cohorts. The income level and maternal literacy appeared to be relevant with the high disability and damage scores, and frequent relapse rates. Secondhand smoking, higher in JIA, may prompt the basis of primary preventable strategies in JIA.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-interleukin (IL)-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab (TCZ) as a treatment option of juvenile systemic sclerosis (JSS). Nine JSS patients were assigned to a TCZ, additionally to conventional treatment (steroids, methotrexate, mycophenolate-mofetil). The modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), carbon-monoxide diffusion capacity (DLCO), thorax high-resolution tomography (HRCT), patient global assessment (PGA) and Juvenile Systemic Sclerosis Severity (J4S) score were used to explore the efficacy of treatment. Nine JSS patients were treated with TCZ with a median treatment duration of 10 (1-21) months. Nine patients (77.8%) had radiologically confirmed improvement on thorax HRCT, 7 (77.8%) had decreased PGA (mean pre-treatment PGA 3.7 vs. 2.3 post-treatment PGA 2), 6 (66.7%) had increased DLCO (mean pre-treatment DLCO 69.14% vs. post-treatment DLCO 79.50%) after the TCZ treatment. In all patients mRSS and the J4S decreased: 26.1 vs. 19.7 and 8.2 vs. 4.7, respectively. Changes in mRSS, DLCO, PGA and J4S were statistically significant: p = 0.012, 0.04, 0.026 and 0.007, respectively. All patients tolerated well TCZ treatment. JSS is a rare condition characterized with skin fibrosis and internal organ involvement. Tocilizumab represents a potential treatment option for patients unresponsive to conventional treatment. Long-term prospective studies with higher number of patients are needed to provide more relevant data.

Objectives: Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a less understood and a rare complication of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Given the scarce data regarding this novel disease, we aimed to describe the clinical features and outcomes of our patients with MIS-C and to evaluate the associated factors for the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Methods: The MIS-C patients under 18 years old diagnosed and treated in three referral centers between July 2020 and March 2021 were included. Data of the patients were retrospectively obtained from their medical records. Results: Overall, 76 subjects (24 females) with a mean age of 8.17 ± 4.42 years were enrolled. Twenty-seven (35.5%) patients were admitted to the PICUs. The two most common systemic involvement patterns were cardiac and gastrointestinal. There was only one lethal outcome in a patient with underlying acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Those with higher procalcitonin levels at admission were found to stay longer in the hospital (r = 0.254, p = 0.027). The risk of PICU admission increased with age (aOR: 1.277; 95% CI: 1.089–1.498; p = 0.003) and with decreased initial serum albumin levels (aOR: 0.105; 95% CI: 0.029–0.378; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Although there is a wide clinical variability among the patients with MIS-C, we suggest that those with older age and lower initial serum albumin levels merit close monitoring due to their higher risk for PICU admission.Key Points• Although there is a wide variability regarding the management process among clinicians, MIS-C is a rare, severe, less understood complication of COVID-19 that may cause rapid clinical deterioration in the patients.• Clinicians should be aware of this condition in children with persistent fever and a family history of COVID-19.• Older age and low serum albumin levels are the independent predictors for the pediatric intensive care unit admission among MIS-C patients. © 2021, International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).

Background In the pediatric age, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) testing is most commonly ordered by general pediatricians to evaluate children with musculoskeletal system complaints. Given the limited utility of the test, we aimed to estimate the effectivity of ordering ANA testing in childhood. Methods Children referred to our department to be examined due to ANA positivity between 2008 and 2020 were included in the study. Those with less than one-year follow-up period, those with previously known rheumatic or autoimmune disease, and those diagnosed as an autoimmune and/or rheumatic disease at the first visit were excluded. Data were obtained from their medical records, retrospectively. The parents of all of the patients were called via phone, data were verified, and missing information was collected. Results Three hundred and fifty-eight patients (230 females) were eligible for the study. The median age at ANA positivity was found is 9.31 (1.3-17.86) years old and the median follow-up duration was 4.85 (1-11.91) years. Most of the patients had no underlying disease (n=337, 94.1%). The most common reason for ordering ANA testing was to evaluate musculoskeletal system symptoms (n=225, 62.8%). None of our patients referred to us due to ANA positivity developed any autoimmune conditions or ANA associated rheumatic disease. Hypermobility syndrome is the most common final diagnosis among our ANA-positive patients CONCLUSION: We suggest that instead of using it as a screening tool, ANA testing should be performed if only there is a strong suspicion of autoimmune diseases or certain rheumatic conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

YILDIZ, Mehmet/0000-0002-7834-4909; Sahin, Sezgin/0000-0002-5365-3457; Kasapcopur, Ozgur/0000-0002-1125-7720; Haslak, Fatih/0000-0002-6963-9668; Barut, Kenan/0000-0001-8459-2872 WOS:000548231000002 PubMed ID: 32661928 Concerns regarding the comorbidity as a significant risk factor for Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), gave rise to an urgent need for studies evaluating patients with chronic conditions such as autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs). We prepared a web-based survey investigating the clinical findings and contact histories among pediatric patients with AIDs. Confirmed COVID-19 cases, patients with contact history and those with symptoms which were highly suggestive of COVID-19 were called via phone or recruited to a video or face to face appointment. Data of AIDs were obtained from their medical records, retrospectively. Laboratory and screening findings were confirmed by our national health registry website. There were 404 patients (217 female) eligible for the enrollment. During pandemic, 375 (93%) were on colchicine treatment and 48 (11.8%) were receiving biologic treatment. Twenty-four out of 404 patients were admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 suspicion. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) was identified through rhinopharyngeal swabs in seven patients, six of whom were only on colchicine treatment. Only one patient with no finding of any severe respiratory complications was hospitalized. All of seven patients recovered completely. Among patients on biologic drugs, neither a symptom nor a positive polymerase chain reaction test for COVID 19 was detected. In conclusion, pediatric patients with AIDs, those receiving biologic treatment and/or colchicine, may not be at increased risk for neither being infected nor the severe disease course.