William S. Rowe Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics of the University of Cincinnati
The pediatric rheumatology program at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center was started in 1960 as the Special Treatment Center for Juvenile Arthritis (STC), one of the first such centers in the US. The program evolved through volunteerism coupled with support from private foundations and community funds (largely the United Appeal, now the United Way), Cincinnati Children's, federal and state grants, the Bureau of Crippled Children's Services (now Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps) and private and other third-party payors for services rendered.
Designation of the STC in 1983 as a Regional Pediatric Rheumatology Center by the Division of Maternal and Child Health of the United States Public Health Service was both a fiscal and professional benchmark for the Center, and the resulting expansion permitted the development of outreach programs. Subsequently, the William S. Rowe Division of Rheumatology was founded in 1973.
The division is part of the Department of Pediatrics, of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. This clinical database of the Division was used as the basis for the 1987 revision of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Early research conducted by the founding Director, Joseph E. Levinson, MD, focused on outcome studies and included federally funded Maternal and Child Health evaluation of outreach clinics in the medically underserved area of Appalachia. In 1987 Cincinnati Children's made a commitment to develop Pediatric Rheumatology as one of its foci of research excellence. A laboratory-based research program was started by David N. Glass, MD.
The research program is based on the belief that knowledge arising from the laboratory in translational as well as basic studies, can quickly find clinical application in the form of diagnostic and / or therapeutic advances. The clinical program is also expanding with more than 5,000 patient visits per year and outreach clinics in:
- Toledo, Ohio
- Dayton, Ohio
- Northern Kentucky
William S. Rowe
The Division of Rheumatology is named after William S. Rowe, a fifth generation Cincinnatian and fourth generation Cincinnati banker. He joined the Fifth Third Bank in 1939 after graduating from Harvard University. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army and served in the Anti-Aircraft Division in Europe. He returned to banking in 1946 and was named vice president of The Fifth Third Bank in 1949, executive vice president in 1962 and elected president in 1963. He was elected chairman of the board in 1979 and continues in that position after retiring in October 1981 as an active bank officer. Rowe was active in many civic and community programs in the area. He was a trustee of Children's Hospital Medical Center and generously supported the work of the Division of Rheumatology.
Dr. Levinson a Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati. He is one of the renowned pioneers of pediatric rheumatology. Between 1945 and 1947 Dr. Levinson served as a surgeon in the Army. Since 1961 his professional focus was the treatment of children with rheumatic diseases. He was Director of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology between 1974 and 1978. Since his retirement as head of the division, he continues to be active member of the division and is a treasured community advocate.
For his clinical and research efforts he has been awarded several awards:
- Distinguished Rheumatologist Award by American College of Rheumatology
- ACR
- ACR Master Award
- Earl J. Brewer Award from the American Juvenile Arthritis Organization of the ACR
His seminal publications include:
Levinson JE, Horwitz M, Kulka JP, Page L, Bauer W: ACTH in the Schoenlein Henoch Syndrome. Ann Rheum Dis 10:255, 1951.
North, Gibson, Schuchter, Howard, Johnson and Levinson JE: Sarcoid arthritis in children: A clinical syndrome? American Journal of Medicine, 1970.
Levinson JE, Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Postgraduate Medicine 51:88, 1972.
Levinson JE, et al: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Chapter in Current Diagnosis, Saunders Publishers, 1974.
Linnemann CC, Levinson JE, Buncher CR, Schiff GM: Rubella antibody levels in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 34:354-358, 1975.
Levinson JE: The ideal program for juvenile arthritis. Arthritis and Rheum 20:607, 1977.
Brewer EJ, Bass J, Baum J, Levinson JE, et al: Current proposed revision of JRA criteria. Arthritis and Rheum 20:195, 1977.
Levinson JE, Baum J, Brewer E, et al: Comparison of tolmetin and aspirin in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). J Pediatrics 60:699, 1977.
Froehlich CJ, Bankhurst AD, Crowe WE, Williams RC Jr, Levinson JE: Flow cytometry and cytoadherence studies of sera from children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and normal controls. Arthritis and Rheum 24:457 463, 1981.
Williams RC JR, Froehlich CJ, Kilpatrick K, Crowe WE, Levinson JE: T gamma subset specificity of lymphocyte reactive factors in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus sera. Arthritis and Rheum 24:585 591, 1981.
Rennebohm RM, Burke MJ, Crowe W, Levinson JE: Anterior uveitis in Kawasaki disease. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 91:535 537, 1981.
Spencer Green G, Crowe WE, Bove KE, Levinson JE: Correlation of muscle angiopathy with nailfold capillary abnormalities in childhood dermatomyositis. Bibl Anat 20:702 707, 1981.
Burke MJ, Rennebohm RM, Crowe W, Levinson JE: Follow-up ophthalmologic examinations in children with Kawasaki disease. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 91:537 539, 1981.
Crowe WE, Bove KE, Levinson JE, Hilton PE: Clinical and pathogenetic implications of histopathology in childhood dermatomyositis. Arthritis and Rheum. 25:126 139, 1982.
Crowe WE, Hug G, Chuck G, Knapp DS, Levinson JE: A study of the relationship of alpha1 antitrypsin phenotype to the occurrence and severity of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis and Rheum 25:1010-1012, 1982.
Brewer EJ, Giannini EH, Baum J, Cassidy JT, Fink CW, Hanson V, Levinson JE, Schaller JG: Sodium meclofenamate (MeclomenR) in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 9:129 134,1982.
Spencer Green G, Crowe WE, Levinson JE: Nailfold capillary abnormalities and clinical outcome in childhood dermatomyositis. Arthritis Rheum 25:954 958, 1982.
Decker JL, McShane DJ, Esdaile JM, Hathaway DE, Levinson JE, Liang MH, Medsger TA, Meenan RF, Mills JA, Roth SH, Wolfe F: Dictionary of the Rheumatic Diseases. Vol. I: Signs and Symptoms. American Rheumatism Association Glossary Committee. Contact Associates International Ltd., Publishers, 1982.
Levinson JE, Shear ES: Patient management: a comprehensive concerned continuum of care. In Musculoskeletal Diseases of Children. Gershwin ME and Robbins DL, eds, Grune and Stratton, 1983.
Levinson JE, Bove KE: Scleroderma. In Musculoskeletal Diseases of Children. Gershwin ME and Robbins DL, eds, Grune and Stratton, 1983.
Rennebohm RM, Towbin RB, Crowe WE, Levinson JE: Popliteal cysts in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Amer J Radiology 140:123 125, 1983.
Friedman JM, Pachman LM, Maryjowski MJ, Jonasson O, Battles ND, Crowe WE, Fink CW, Hanson V, Levinson JE, Spencer CH, Sullivan DB: Immunogenetic studies of juvenile dermatomyositis: HLA antigens in patients and their families. Tissue Antigens 21:45 49, 1983.
Friedman JM, Pachman LM, Maryjowski MC, Radvany RM, Crowe WE, Hanson V, Levinson JE, Spencer CH: Immunogenetic studies of juvenile dermatomyositis: HLA DR antigen frequencies. Arthritis and Rheumatism 26:214-216, 1983.
Yarom A, Rennebohm RM, Strife FC, Levinson JE: Juvenile gouty arthritis. American Journal of Diseases of Children 138:955 957, 1984.
Yarom A, Rennebohm RM, Levinson JE: Infantile multisystem inflammatory disease: A specific syndrome? Journal of Pediatrics 106:390 396. 1985.
Jacobsen ST, Levinson JE, Crawford AH: Late results of synovectomy in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 67 A 8 15, 1985.
Decker JL, Esdaile JM, Fritzler MJ, Levinson JE, Liang MH, McShane DJ, Medsger TA, Meenan RF, Mills JA, Sharp JT, Wolfe F: Dictionary of the Rheumatic Diseases Vol II: Diagnostic Testing. American Rheumatism Association Glossary Committee. Contact Associates International Ltd. Publishers, 1985.
Cassidy JT, Levinson JE, Bass JC, Baum J, Brewer EJ, Fink CW, Hanson V, Jacobs JC, Masi AT, Schaller JG, Fries JE, McShane D, Young D: A study of classification criteria for a diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 29:274 281, 1986.
Olson JC, Lovell DJ, Levinson JE: Hypogammaglobulinemia associated with gold therapy in a patient with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 13:1-3, 1986.
Brown EH, Berry HK, Olson J, Levinson JE: Phenylketonuria and scleroderma J Inher Metab. Dis. 9: 405 406, 1986.
White PH, McPherson M, Levinson JE: Community programs for children with rheumatic diseases. Ped Rheum Vol. 33:1239 1245, 1986.
Van Kerckhove C, Balakrishnan, Levinson JE, Larson MG, Glass DN: Altered sex ratio and HLA in JRA sibships. Human Immunol, 22:227 233, 1988.
Decker JL, Medsger TA Jr, Fritzler MJ, Gerber NL, Liang MH, Meenan RF, Esdaile JM, Guccione AA, Levinson JE, McShane DJ, Wolfe F: Dictionary of the Rheumatic Diseases. Vol. III: Health Status Measurement. American Rheumatism Association Glossary Committee. Contact Associates International Ltd., Publishers, 1988.
Yarom A and Levinson JE: Scleroderma. In Hicks R. (ed): Vasculopathies of Childhood. Littleton, Wright PSG, 1988.
Lovell DJ, Howe S, Shear E, Hartner S, McGirr G, Schulte M, Levinson JE: Development of a disability measurement tool for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheum 32:1390-1395, 1989.
Cassidy JT, Levinson JE, Brewer EJ Jr: The development of classification criteria for children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Bulletin on the Rheumatic Diseases. 38:1-7, 1989.
Stefl M, Shear ES, Levinson JE: Summer camps for children with a rheumatic disease: Do they make a difference? Arthritis Care and Research 2:11-15, 1989.
Olson JC, Bender JC, Levinson JE, Oestreich A, Lovell DJ: Arthropathy of Down syndrome and other rheumatic diseases. Pediatrics, 86:931-936, 1990.
Gabriel C, Levinson JE: Advanced drug therapy in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. (Editorial) Arthritis Rheum, 33:587-590, 1990.
Lovell DJ, Athreya B, Emery HM, Gibbas D, Levinson JE, Lindsley CB, Spencer CH, White PH, for the Pediatric Rheumatology Database Research Group: School attendance and patterns, special services and special needs in pediatric patients with rheumatoid arthritis - Results of a multicenter study. Arthritis Care and Research, 3:196-203, 1990.
Van Kerckhove C, Luyrink L, Elma MS, Maksymowych WP, Levinson JE, Larson MG, Choi E, Glass David N: HLA-DR/DQ interaction in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Immunogenetics, 32:364-368, 1990.
Howe S, Levinson JE, Shear E, Hartner S, McGirr G, Schulte M, Lovell D: Development of a disability measurement tool for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: The juvenile arthritis functional assessment report for children and their parents. Arthritis & Rheum, 34:873-879,1991.
Levinson JE, Wallace C: Dismantling the pyramid in JRA. Clinics in Rheum Dis, 17:891-905, 1991.
Wallace CA, Levinson JE. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: Outcome and treatment for the 1990s. Rheum Dis Clin North Amer 17:891-905, 1991.
Giannini EH, Malagon CN, Van Kerckhove C, Taylor J, Lovell DJ, Levinson JE, Passo MP, Ginsberg J, Burke MJ, Glass DN: Longitudinal analysis of HLA-associated risks for iridocyclitis in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J. Rheumatol, 18:1394-1397, 1991.
Malagon CN, Van Kerckhove C, Giannini EH, Taylor J, Lovell DJ, Levinson JE, Passo MH, Ginsberg J, Burke MJ, Glass, David N: The iridocyclitis of early onset pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (EOPA-JRA): Outcome in immunogenetically characterized patients. J Rheumatol, 19:160-163, 1992.
Melin-Aldana H, Giannini EH, Taylor J, Lovell D, Levinson JE, Passo MH, Ginsberg J, Burke MJ, Glass DN: Human leukocyte antigen DRB1*1104 in the chronic iridocyclitis of pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Peds, 121:56-60, 1992.
Ruperto N, Levinson JE, Ravelli A, Shear ES, Tague BL, Murray KJ, Martini A, Giannini EH. Long-term health outcomes and quality of life (QOL) in American and Italian cohorts of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis I. Outcome status. 1997, J Rheumatol 24(5):945-51. .
Ruperto N, Ravelli A, Levinson JE, Shear ES, Murray KB, Tague L, Martini A, Glass DN, Giannini EH. Long-term health outcomes and quality of life in American and Italian inception cohorts of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis II. Early predictors of outcome. J Rheumatol 1997, 24:952-8.
Murray KJ, Szer W, Grom AA, Donnelly P, Levinson JE, Glass DN, Szer I, Giannini EH. Antibodies to the 45 kDa nuclear antigen in pauciarticular onset JRA: Selective association with iridocyclitis and HLA-A2. 1996; J Rheumatol 24(3):560-567.
Lovell DJ, Lindsley CB, Rennebohm RM, Ballinger SH, Bowyer SL, Giannini EH, Hicks JE, Levinson JE, et al. Development of validated disease activity and damage indices for the juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. II. The Childhood Myositis Assessment (CMAS): A quantitative tool for the evaluation of muscle function. Arthritis Rheum 1999, 42(10):2213-2219.
Levinson JE: Psychosocial Aspects of the Rheumatic Diseases of Childhood. PANLAR Primer, 2004
