Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41572321›Full record

ArticlePediatric rheumatology online journal2026

Evaluation of adalimumab tapering regimens in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in remission: a simulation study.

Dominic S Bräm, Verena Gotta, Gilbert Koch, Klervi Golhen, Andreas Woerner, Andrew Atkinson, Johannes N van den Anker, Marc Pfister, Tatjana Welzel

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Article in Pediatric rheumatology online journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Dominic S BrämPaediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland. Dominic.braem@ukbb.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9094-8361
Verena GottaPaediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.
Gilbert KochPaediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.
Klervi GolhenPaediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.
Andreas WoernerPaediatric Rheumatology, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Basel, Switzerland.
Andrew AtkinsonPaediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.
Johannes N van den AnkerDivision of Clinical Pharmacology, Children's National Hospital, District of Columbia, Washington, USA.
Marc Pfister *Paediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.
Tatjana Welzel *Paediatric Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, University Children's Hospital Basel UKBB, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel, CH-4056, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdalimumab (ADM) in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is usually dosed using fixed weight-based bands (label dosing: 20 mg for < 30 kg, 40 mg for ≥ 30 kg) every other week (EOW). This has been shown to result in higher exposure after remission than targeted in adult patients with rheumatic diseases (trough concentrations of 2–8 mg/L) suggesting possibility of treatment adjustments and tapering, particularly in children weighing 30 to 50 kg. A pharmacometric simulation study was performed to evaluate different ADM dosing regimens supported by therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) to provide insights for JIA management in remission.

methodsThis simulation study used a previously established pharmacokinetic ADM model. Simulation scenarios included dose reduction to 30 mg in children 30 to 50 kg and interval extension from 14 to 21 or 28 days. To further personalize ADM dosing and avoid exposure above predefined target range, TDM-guided tapering within mentioned simulation scenarios was investigated, i.e., adjusting dosing interval in children and adolescents whose ADM trough concentrations were above the upper limit of the predefined ADM target range of 9 mg/L. Proportions of virtual patients within the extrapolated target exposure range from adults including a safety-margin, i.e., 4–9 mg/L, were assessed and compared to label dosing, stratified by body weight.

resultsIn children and adolescents with JIA weighing 30 to 50 kg both, dose interval extension to 21 days and dose reduction to 30 mg EOW increased proportion of patients within predefined target range from 17 - 29% (label dose regimen) to 34–43% or 28–43%, respectively. TDM-guided tapering for patients with trough concentrations > 9 mg/L further increased proportion with target exposure to 56–63% while keeping the proportion of patients with trough concentrations < 2 mg/L similar to label dosing (≤ 2%).

conclusionThis simulation study suggests that ADM tapering, in children with JIA who reached remission, may be applicable. Appropriate ADM dose reduction or dose interval extension, especially when supported by TDM, could help to reduce treatment-related and socioeconomic burden, while minimize risk of underexposure. Provided simulation framework can be validated and further fine-tuned once paediatric exposure-response data and target ranges have been established.

Indexed as

AdalimumabAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, JuvenileDrug TaperingAdolescentChildComputer SimulationDose-Response Relationship, DrugDrug Administration ScheduleDrug MonitoringFemaleHumansMaleRemission InductionAdalimumabAntirheumatic AgentsDrug exposurePersonalized treatmentPharmacodynamicsPharmacokineticsRemissionTaperingTarget range

Identifiers

PMID41572321
PMCPMC12910912

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.