First-year Follow-up of Children With Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis

An Analysis of the German National Pediatric Rheumatologic Database From 2009 to 2018

Christiane Reiser; Jens Klotsche; Anton Hospach; Rainer Berendes; Anja Schnabel; Annette F. Jansson; Markus Hufnagel; Nadine Grösch; Martina Niewerth; Kirsten Minden; Hermann Girschick

Disclosures

Arthritis Res Ther. 2021;23(281) 

In This Article

Abstract and Introduction

Abstract

Objective: To assess the first-year features of patients with chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO).

Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of CNO, disease duration of under 13 months, and first registration in the German National Pediatric Rheumatologic Database (NPRD) between 2009 and 2018 were included in this cross-sectional analysis.

Results: Of 774 documented patients, 62.8% were female, and all patients had a median age of 11 years. The most affected clinical sites were the tibia (29.7%), pelvis (28.0%), and femur (27.8%). HLA-B27 was positive in 48 of 314 analyzed patients (15.3%). In 406 patients, an X-ray was performed at the first visit; X-ray results showed osteosclerosis/−lysis in 34.0% and hyperostosis in 14.5% of the patients. MRI scans (focal and whole-body scans) were performed in 648 patients, and 81.5% showed a positive TIRM/STIR signal. A total of 84.7% of the patients were administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 9.6% were administered oral glucocorticoids, 10.8% were administered disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and 6.1% were administered bisphosphonates. An evaluation of the patient's questionnaire showed an overall well-being (NRS 0–10) of 2.0. The PedCNO disease "activity" score revealed a 70% improvement in variables in 43% of patients in the initial 1-year follow-up. Copresentation with diagnostic criteria of pediatric enthesitis-related arthritis was rare.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, the NPRD cohort seemed to be the largest cohort of children and adolescents suffering from CNO worldwide. Most patients were treated effectively with NSAIDs, and only a small group of patients was administered additional medication. The patient-defined measures of disease activity had a moderate impact on patients' daily lives.

Trial registration: Not applicable.

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