There are many different medications for JIA. These medications cannot cure JIA. However, they can help keep it under control.
What are the different types of JIA medications?
Here are the main types of JIA drugs:
What are the different types of JIA medications?
Here are the main types of JIA drugs:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):
- Naproxen (Naprosyn)
- Ibuprofen (Advil)
- Indomethacin (Indocid)
- Diclofenac sodium (Voltaren)
- Piroxicam (Feldene)
- Celecoxib (Celebrex)
- Meloxicam (Mobicox)
Corticosteroids:
- Prednisone
- Prednisolone (Pediapred)
- Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol)
Corticosteroid joint injections:
- Triamcinolone hexacetonide (Lederlon)
- Triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog)
- Methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol)
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs):
- Methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
- Sulfasalazine (Salazopyrin)
- Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
- Leflunomide (Arava)
Biologic agents:
- Etanercept (Enbrel)
- Infliximab (Remicade)
- Adalimumab (Humira)
- Abatacept (Orencia)
- Rituximab (Rituxan)
- Tocilizumab (Actemra)
Most children and teenagers with JIA will be given NSAIDs as initial therapy.
If NSAIDs are not enough to control the JIA, and only a few joints are affected, your child's doctor may suggest a joint injection. This is a corticosteroid that is injected directly into the joint. However, if your child has JIA in many joints, your doctor may give them one or more of the other drugs available. These may include corticosteroids or DMARDs. If the JIA is still not under control, then the doctor might suggest trying a biologic agent.
The other pages in this section will review each of these types of medication.