Posts by: Ana Pena, PhD

Ana Pena, PhD

Ana is a molecular biologist with a passion for discovery and communication. As a science writer, she looks for connecting the public, in particular patients and healthcare providers, with clear and quality information about the latest medical advances. Ana holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she specialized in infectious diseases, epigenetics, and gene expression.

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020

S100 Proteins are Diagnostic and Disease Activity Markers in Systemic JIA, Study Suggests

News

Testing for S100A8/9 and S100A12 proteins may aid in the diagnosis of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and serve as a marker of disease activity, a study suggests. The report ... Read more

January 3, 2020January 3, 2020

Rare Skin Condition Affecting 4 Children with JIA Detailed in Case Report

News

The cases of four children call attention to an unusual association of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with morphea, a rare skin condition that can appear years after JIA onset and ... Read more

September 3, 2019September 3, 2019

Study Notes Manitoba JIA Patients’ Suboptimal Access to Specialized Care

News

A population-based study in the Canadian province of Manitoba has shown that up to 49% of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) had not been seen by a pediatric rheumatologist ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 23, 2019

Major Pregnancy Complications Not Greater in DMARD Users, Study Finds

News

Use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) before becoming pregnant does not increase the risk of miscarriage or birth defects in women with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), or female partners ... Read more

August 20, 2019August 20, 2019

Power Doppler Ultrasound Not Suitable to Detect TMJ Inflammation in JIA Patients, Study Finds

News

Ultrasound imaging with power Doppler ultrasound is not a useful method to detect active arthritis in the joints that connect jawbones to the skull in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 6, 2019

Tocilizumab Effective for Resistant pJIA in Real-life Setting, Study Reports

News

Therapy with Actemra (tocilizumab) yields high survival rates in patients with hard-to-treat polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA), and enables many patients to reach low disease activity, a real-world study in ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019

Children Who Share Decision-making with Their Doctors Improve Their Treatment, Quality of Life, School Attendance, Study Says

News

Engaging children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in shared decision-making with their doctors helps them better understand their disease and enhances their ability to make informed decisions. It can also lead ... Read more

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019

ACR and Arthritis Foundation Release New Treatment Guidelines for Juvenile Arthritis

News

New guidelines were released by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) to provide orientation to doctors and patients for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis ... Read more

May 14, 2019May 14, 2019

Orencia Safe, Effective for Children with Polyarticular JIA, Phase 3 Trial in Japan Confirms

News

Treatment with Orencia (abatacept) is well-tolerated and effective in managing disease activity in children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to results from a Phase 3 clinical trial conducted ... Read more

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019

Testing for Cytokine May Help Detect Life-threatening Complication in Children with Systemic JIA, Study Says

News

Checking for blood levels of a small protein called CXCL9 can be a valuable biomarker for detecting macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a potentially life-threatening complication in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis ... Read more