About the group

The work is aiming at optimized diagnosis, prediction models and targeted treatment strategies based on the patients’ clinical, personal, genetic and/or molecular profile.

Furthermore, we will describe the burden of the disease for the patients, their families and the society. This is achieved through ongoing and planned clinical trials, observational studies and translational biomedical research.

Long term goal

The group's long-term goal is optimized and personalized treatment of childhood rheumatological disease with the correct use of resource-intensive strategies, goal-directed treatment and early identification of individuals with different risks.

This will help to avoid under- or over-treatment and improve the long-term outcome of the disease.

Ongoing projects

  • The MyJIA trial: (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04614311, EU CT-number 2023-510118-21-00). A national randomised clinical trial designed to assess if using joint injections in combination with tumor necrosis factor-inhibitor (TNFi) are superior to TNFi alone. The trial is funded by Norwegian Research Council. National principal investigator Anna-Birgitte Aga, project manager Pernille Bøyesen.
  • The MOVE-JIA trial: (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06653634, EU CT-number: 2024-513017-12-00). A national, multi-centre, randomised clinical trial, aiming to optimise the management of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who are in stable disease remission. We are including JIA patients in sustained remission treated with tumor necrosis factor-inhibitor (TNFi) and methotrexate. They are randomly divided into three groups: A) Gradual TNFi withdrawal, B) Gradual methotrexate withdrawal, or C) Continued stable treatment with both TNFi and methotrexate. The primary aim is to measure how many patients experience a disease flare within a year. First patient was included in 2024, last patient is planned included during 2027. The project is founded by Norwegian Research Council, Open research proposal Helse Sør-Øst and The Norwegian Women's Public Health Association. Post doc in this project is Siri Opsahl Hetlevik, and project manager Anna-Birgitte Aga.
  • The Treat-JIA trial: (EU CT-number: 2026-525611-13-00) Treatment strategies for juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with sustained inactive disease: A phase 4, mulitcentre, randomised trial comparing maintenance versus tapered TNF-α inhibitor monotherapy. The project is founded by Open research proposal Helse Sør-Øst. Project manager: Pernille Bøyesen.
  • The MyJIA Open extension study: An observational multicentre study exploring long-term outcome in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis treated according to modern treatment strategies. Project manager Pernille Bøyesen.
  • Molecular signatures in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (based on transcriptional, cellular, and genetic risk) for disease activity and treatment response: A prospective study of children with JIA initiating treatment with TNF inhibitors. Collaborative effort between medical genetics and rheumatology at Oslo University Hospital.

In addition, there are five ongoing PhD projects and two associated PhD projects.

Collaboration

We have many national and international partners.

National

  • Department of Medical Genetics, OUS/ Professor Benedicte Lie
  • Diakonhjemmet hospital and REMEDY – Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases/ Professor Espen A. Haavardsholm and senior researcher Siri Lillegraven
  • Children's department St Olav's Hospital/ Professor Marite Rygg
  • Children's department, University Hospital of Northern Norway/ senior consultant Ellen Nordahl
  • Children's Department Health West, Bergen/ senior consultant Karin Tylleskar
  • Children's department, University Hospital in Stavanger/ senior consultant and researcher in pediatrics Bjørn Barstad
  • Department of Radiology, OUS/ senior consultant Eva Kirkhus
  • Clinical Trial Unit, OUS/ biostatistician/ senior researcher Inge Christoffer Olsen

International

  • Bristol Royal Hospital/ Professor Athimalaipet V Ramanan
  • Printo, Gaslini Institute, Genoa/Alessandro Consolaro MD PhD
  • Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen/ Professor Mikkel Østergaard
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital, University of Cincinnati, Ohio USA/ Professor Hermine Brunner

Publications

  • Frid P, Halbig JM, Alstergren P, Berstad JR, Cetrelli L, Feuerherm AJ, Flatø B, Rosen A, Rosendahl K, Rygg M, Rypdal V, Songstad NT, Tømmerås B, Nordal E, Al-Haroni M (2025. Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study. Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2025 Jun 17;23(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s12969-025-01118-y.
  • Hetland ML, Heiberg MS, Sokka-Isler T, Rudin A, Østergaard M, Haavardsholm E, Rutanen J, van Vollenhoven R, Grondal G, Ørnbjerg LM, Bøyesen P, Lampa J, Nurmohamed M, Gudbjornsson B, Uhlig T, Kononoff A, Lend K, Krabbe S, Olsen IC, Sexton J, Hørslev-Petersen K (2025). Treatment with methotrexate plus oral prednisolone versus triple therapy (methotrexate/sulfasalazine/hydroxychloroquine) plus intra-articular glucocorticoids in early rheumatoid arthritis: a prespecified nonrandomised subgroup analysis of clinical and radiographic data at 48 weeks from the NORD-STAR trial's conventional treatment arm. Ann Rheum Dis. 2025 Jun;84(6):937-948. doi: 10.1016/j.ard.2025.03.002. Epub 2025 Apr 4.
  • Bardan I, Sexton J, Kvien TK, Bakland G, Mielnik P, Hu Y, Lien G, Flatø B, Molberg Ø, Kristianslund EK*, Aga AB*. *shared last authors. Health-related Quality of Life in DMARD-treated adults with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Compared to Rheumatoid Arthritis and the General Population. J Rheumatol. 2025 Sep 1:jrheum.2025-0384. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.2025-0384.
  • Yoshida Y, Hammer HB, Sexton J, Nordberg L, Aga AB, Terslev L, Lillegraven S, Haarvardsholm EA. How to score the wrist joint by ultrasound: exploration of the most sensitive joint assessment during follow-up of early or established rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2025 Oct 30;27(1):200. doi: 10.1186/s13075-025-03668-8.PMID: 41168848
  • Kjørholt KE, Sundlisæter NP, Aga AB, Sexton J, Olsen IC, Lexberg ÅS, Madland TM, Fremstad H, Høili CA, Bakland G, Spada C, Haukeland H, Hansen IM, Moholt E, Holten K, Uhlig T, Kvien TK, Solomon DH, van der Heijde D, Haavardsholm EA, Lillegraven Three-Year Results of Tapering Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor to Withdrawal Compared to Stable Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Sustained Remission: A Multicenter Randomized Trial. S.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025 Oct;77(10):1327-1336. doi: 10.1002/art.43199. Epub 2025 Jun 26.PMID: 40289847
  • Mørk R, Bøyesen P, Kindem IA, Lilleby J, Gunnarsson R, Molberg Ø, Lilleby V. Avacopan as an add-on therapy in a paediatric patient with new-onset granulomatosis with polyangiitis and acute kidney injury: a case report. Rheumatology (Oxford). Epub 2025. Doi 10.1093/rheumatology/keaf523. PMID: 41075162.