TY - JOUR T1 - Etanercept in the treatment of macrophage activation syndrome. JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 2120 LP - 2124 VL - 28 IS - 9 AU - S Prahalad AU - K E Bove AU - D Dickens AU - D J Lovell AU - A A Grom Y1 - 2001/09/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/9/2120.abstract N2 - Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a recognized complication of systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (sJRA), has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Dysregulation of macrophage-lymphocyte interactions leading to uncontrolled proliferation of highly activated macrophages and massive release of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) appears to be central to the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Until now the mainstay of therapy has been corticosteroids and cyclosporin A. We describe a patient with MAS and sJRA successfully treated with the anti-TNF agent etanercept. The outcome in this patient suggests etanercept might be an effective therapeutic agent in MAS. ER -