Long-term toxicity of immune suppression in juvenile rheumatic diseases.

Although there are not many studies which have addressed long-term outcomes in children with rheumatic disease treated with immunosuppressive agents, the data that are available, as well as information from adult studies, suggest significant long-term concerns with all the agents that have demonstrable efficacy. This must lead us to investigate new methods of treatment which will not only be more effective, but also less toxic.