MMR Vaccine Is Safe and Immunogenic in Children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

High immunization rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) are critical to maintain herd immunity. Some concern exists about administering the MMR live vaccine to patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) because these patients frequently receive immunosuppressive medications, and because the rubella virus has a propensity to cause arthritis.

Investigators in the Netherlands randomized 137 children with JIA (age range, 4–9 years) to receive an MMR booster or no vaccine. All children had had previously received MMR vaccine. Almost half the participants were taking methotrexate, and small numbers in each group were taking biologics. After 12 months, no measles, mumps, or rubella disease was seen in the vaccine group; one patient in …