The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) booster vaccine does not affect disease activity and medication use in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). This is the result of a retrospective study from the Netherlands. “The majority of patients with JIA can be vaccinated safely with MMR vaccine”, the authors write in an online publication of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
In the Netherlands, MMR vaccine is administered at 14 months and a booster between age 8 and 10. Nico Wulffraat from the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht and his colleagues compared disease activity and medication use during the period of six months before versus six months after vaccination in 314 JIA patients, born between 1989 and 1996. The researchers also compared disease activity in patients vaccinated between 8 and 9 years of age and in not yet vaccinated patients.
Results: During the six months after MMR vaccination, there was no observed deterioration in disease activity or change in medication use. No patient developed overt measles infections. Disease activity in early vaccinated patients was not significantly different from that in not yet vaccinated patients.
"We cannot fully rule out that there was a small influence of MMR vaccination on disease activity," the authors note. "Even though it was possible to investigate one of the largest cohorts of vaccinated JIA patients, we realise that statistical power is limited.” To further ascertain safety and efficacy of MMR vaccination in JIA, Wulffraat and his team recommend a prospective trial. JG
Ann Rheum Dis (published online February 6, 2007)
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