Safety of measles, mumps and rubella vaccination in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

  • Marloes W Heijstek
  • , Gecilmara C S Pileggi
  • , Evelien Zonneveld-Huijssoon
  • , Wineke Armbrust
  • , Esther P A H Hoppenreijs
  • , Cuno S P M Uiterwaal
  • , Wietse Kuis
  • , Nico M Wulffraat

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    102 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Objective: To assess the effect of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination on disease activity in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

    Methods: A retrospective observational multicentre cohort study was performed in 314 patients with JIA, born between 1989 and 1996. Disease activity and medication use were compared during the period of 6 months before vaccination versus 6 months after vaccination. Disease activity was measured by joint counts, the Physician's global assessment scale and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Next, we compared disease activity in patients vaccinated between 8 and 9 years of age with the activity in patients who had not been vaccinated at this time ( who received MMR between the ages of 9 and 10 years).

    Results: No increase in disease activity or medication use was seen in the 6 months after MMR vaccination (n = 207), including in patients using methotrexate ( n = 49). No overt measles infections were noted. When disease activity in vaccinated patients ( n = 108) was compared with activity in those not yet vaccinated ( n = 86), there were no significant differences.

    Conclusions: The MMR booster vaccination does not seem to aggravate disease activity in JIA. This indicates that the most patients with JIA can be vaccinated safely with the MMR vaccine. A prospective study is recommended.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1384-1387
    Number of pages4
    JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases
    Volume66
    Issue number10
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Oct-2007

    Keywords

    • RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS
    • PRELIMINARY DEFINITION
    • CHILDREN
    • DISEASE
    • IMMUNIZATION
    • JOINT
    • FLARE

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