Gloria C. Higgins, MD

Gloria C. Higgins, MD, PhD, is a member of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology and an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Her clinical interest is the diagnosis and treatment of childhood rheumatic diseases. Her clinical research includes outcome studies, pathogenesis studies, and medication trials in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile dermatomyositis, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, and childhood vasculitis. She serves on the Scleroderma and Vasculitis Scientific Review Committee of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). She is an Associate Member of the American Board of Pediatrics, where she serves on the examination committee for maintenance of certification in pediatrics. She serves on the Executive Board of the Central Ohio Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and is active in patient advocacy issues through this organization.

Gender:

• Female

Languages Spoken:

• English

Fellowship

• University of Tennessee

Residency

• Children's Hospital National Medical Center

Medical School

• Albert Einstein Coll. of Medicine

Fellowship

• Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research

Post Doctoral

• West Virginia University

Medical School

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  Date Completed: 06/30/1983

Internship

• Children's National Medical Center
  Date Completed: 06/30/1984

Residency

• Children's National Medical Center
  Date Completed: 06/30/1986

Fellowship

• University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
  Date Completed: 12/31/1989

Department:

• Pediatrics

Section:

• Rheumatology

Speciality:

• Pediatric Rheumatology
  
• Pediatrics
  

Date of Appointment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital:

• 02/15/2000

• Giannini EH, Ilowite NT, Lovell DJ, Wallace CA, Rabinovich CE, Reiff A, Higgins G, Gottlieb B for the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group, Chon Y, Baumgartner SW. 2010. Effects of long-term Etanercept on growth in children with selected categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.  Arthritis Rheum.
• Li SC, Feldman BM, Higgins GC, Haines KA, Punaro MG, O'Neil KM. 2010. Treatment of Pediatric Localized Scleroderma: Results of a Survey of North American Pediatric Rheumatologists.  J Rheumatol. Vol. 37, no. January: 175-181.
• Brunner H, Higgins GC, Wiers K, Lapidus SK, Olson JC, Onel K, Punaro M, Ying J, Klein-Gitelman MS, Giannini EH. 2010. Prospective validation of the provisional criteria for the evaluation of response to therapy in childhoon-onset systemic lupus erythamatosus (cSLE).  Arthritis Care Res. Vol. 62, no. January: 335-344.
• Nigrovic PA, Mannion N, Prince HF, Zeft A, Rabinovich CE, van Rossum MA, Cortis E, Pardeo M, Miettunen PM, Janow G, Birmingham J, Eggebeen A, Janssen E, Schulman AI, Son MD. Hong S, Jones K, Ilowite NT, Cron RQ, Higgins GC. 2010. Anakinra as first-line disease modifying therapy in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.  Arthritis Reum. Vol. E-pub ahead of print 2010 Nov 4, no. January.
• Jones KB, Higgins GC. 2010. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. In Primary Care of the Child with a Chronic Condition. Fifth ed. Edited by Jackson PA, Vessey JA, Schapiro NA. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier-Mosby.
• Brunner HI, Higgins GC, Klein-Gitelman MS, Lapidus SK, Olson JC, Onel K, Punary M, Ying J, Giannini EH. 2010. Minimal clinically important differences of disease activity indices in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.  Arhtritis Care Res. Vol. 62, no. January: 950-959.
• Brunner H, Klein-Gitelman M, Higgins G, Lapidus S, Levy D, Eberhard A, Singer N, Olson J, Onel K, Schanberg L, vonScheven E, Ying Y, Giannini E. 2010. Toward the development of criteria for global flares in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus.  Arthritis Care Res. Vol. 62, no. January: 811-820.
• Canna S, Frankovich J, Higgins G, Narkweicz M, Nash R, Hollister R, Soep J, Dragone L. 2009. Acute hepatitis in three patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) taking interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RA).  Pediatric Rheumatology. Vol. 7, no. 21. (December).
• Cabral DA; Uribe AG; Benseler S; O'Neil KM; Hashkes PJ; Higgins G; Zeft AS; Lovell DJ; Kingsbury DJ; Stevens A; McCurdy D; Chira P; Abramson L; Arkachaisri T; Campillo S; Eberhard A; Hersh AO; Huber AM; Kim S; Klein-Gitelman M; Levy DM; Li SC; Mason T; Dewitt EM; Muscal E; Nassi L; Reiff A; Schikler K; Singer NG; Wahezi D; Woodward A. 2009. Classification, presentation, and initial treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis in childhood.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 60, no. January: 3413-3424.
• Brunner H, Higgins G, Wiers K, Lapidus S, Olson J, Onel K, Punaro M, Ying J, Klein-Gitelman M, Seid M. 2009. Health-related Quality of Life and its Relationship to Patient Disease Course in Childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.  J Rheumatology. Vol. 36, no. January: 1536-1545.
• Arkachaisri T, Vilaiyuk S, Li S, O'Neil KO, Pope E, Higgins GC, Punao M, Rabinovich EC, Rosenkranz M, Keitz DA, Rosen P, Spaulding SJ, Hennon TR, Torok KS, Cassidy E, Medsger TA. 2009. The localized scleroderma skin severity index (LoSSI) and physician global assessment of disease activity: a work in progress toward the development of localized scleroderma outcome measures.  J Rheumatology. Vol. 36, no. January: 2819-2829.
• Schanberg LE, Sandborg C, Barnhart HX, Ardoin SP, Yow E, Evans GW, Mieszkalski KL,Ilowite NT, Eberhard A, Levy DM, Kimura Y, von Scheven E, Silverman E, Bowyer SL, Punaro L, Singer NG, Sherry DD, McCurdy D, Klein-Gitelman M, Wallace C, Silver R, Wagner-Weiner L, Higgins GC, Brunner HI, Jung L, Soep JB, Reed A. 2009. Premature atherosclerosis is pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus: Risk factors for increased carotid intimia-media thickness in the atherosclerosis prevention in pediatric lupus erythematosus cohort.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 50, no. January: 1496-1507.
• Pediat Rheumatology Collaborative; Giannini, E. H.; Ilowite, N. T.; Lovell, D. J.; Wallace, C. A.; Rabinovich, C. E.; Reiff, A.; Higgins, G.; Gottlieb, B.; Singer, N. G.; Chon, Y.; Lin, S-L.; Baumgartner, S. W. 2009. Long-term Safety and Effectiveness of Etanercept in Children With Selected Categories of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 60, no. January: 2794-2804.
• Koneru S, Kocharla L, Higgins GC, Ware A, Passo MH, Farhey YD, Mongey AB, Graham TB, Houk JL, Brunner HI. 2008. Adherence to medications in systemic lupus erythematosus.  J Clin Rheumatol. Vol. 14, no. January: 195-201.
• Yang Y, Chung EK, Wu YL, Savelli SL, Nagaraja HN, Zhou B, Hebert M, Jones KN, Shu Y, Kitzmiller K, Blanchong CA, McBride KL, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RM, Rice RR, Hackshaw KV, Roubey RA, Grossman JM, Tsao BP, Birmingham DJ, Rovin BH, Hebert LA, Yu CY. 2007. Gene copy-number variation and associated polymorphisms of complement component C4 in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): low copy number is a risk factor for and high copy number is a protective factor against SLE susceptibility in European America.  American Journal of Human Genetics. Vol. 80, no. January: 1037-1054.
• Zannin ME; Martini G; Athreya BH; Russo R; Higgins G; Vittadello F; Alpigiani MG; Alessio M; Paradisi M; Woo P; Zulian F. 2007. Ocular involvement in children with localised scleroderma: a multi-centre study.  The British Journal Of Ophthalmology. Vol. 91, no. January: 1311-1314.
• Koneru S, Shishov M, Ware A, Farhey Y, Mongey AB, Graham TB, Passo MH, Houk JL, Higgins GC, Brunner HI. 2007. Effectively measuring adherence to medications for systemic lupus erythematosus in a clinical setting.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 57, no. January: 1000-1006.
• Lovell DJ, Glass D, Ranz J, Dramer S, Hunag B, Sierra RI, Henderson CJ, Passo M, Graham B, Bowyer S, Higgins G, Rennebohm R, Schikler KN, Giannini E. 2006. A randomized controlled trial of calcium supplementation to increase bone mineral density in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 54, no. January: 2235-2243.
• Kanangat S, Postlethwaite A, Higgins GC, Hasty KA. 2006. Novel Functions of Intracellular IL-1ra in Human Dermal Fibroblasts: Implications in the Pathogenesis of Fibrosis.  J Invest Derm. Vol. 126, no. January: 756-765.
• Zulian F; Athreya BH; Laxer R; Nelson AM; Feitosa de Oliveira SK; Punaro MG; Cuttica R; Higgins GC; Van Suijlekom-Smit LW; Moore TL; Lindsley C; Garcia-Consuegra J; Esteves Hilário MO; Lepore L; Silva CA; Machado C; Garay SM; Uziel Y; Martini G; Foeldvari I; Peserico A; Woo P; Harper J. 2006. Juvenile localized scleroderma: clinical and epidemiological features in 750 children. An international study.  Rheumatology. Vol. 45, no. January: 614-620.
• Wu YL, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RM, Chung EK, Yang Y, Zhou B, Nagaraja N, Birmingham DJ, Rovin BH, Hebert LA, Yu CY. 2006. Three distinct profiles of serum complement C4 proteins in pediatric lupus erythematous (SLE) patients: Tight associations of complement C4 and C4 protein levels in SLE but not healthy subjects.  Adv Exp Med Biol. Vol. 586, no. January: 227-247.
• Mier JR, Shishov M, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RM. Wortman DW, Jerath R, Alhumoud E. 2005. Pediatric-Onset Mixed Conective Tissue Disease. In Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America. Edited by Grossman J, Furst D. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
• Kimura Y; Pinho P; Walco G; Higgins G; Hummell D; Szer I; Henrickson M; Watcher S; Reiff A. 2005. Etanercept treatment in patients with refractory systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  J Rheumatology. Vol. 32, no. January: 935-942.
• Fall Ndate, Bove KE, Stringer K, Lovell DJ, Brunner HI, Weiss J, Higgins GC, Bowyer SL, Graham TB, Thornton S, Grom AA. 2005. Correlation Between Lack of Angiogenic Response in Muscle Tissue and High Expression of Angiiostatic ELR-Negative CXC Chemokines in Patients with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Possible Link to Vasculopathy.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 52, no. January: 3175-3180.
• Yang Y, Chung EK, Lhotta K, Wu YL, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RR, Hebert LA, Birmingham DJ, Rovin BH, Yu CY. 2005. Complement Components C4A and C4B in Human Lupus. In Molecular Autoimmunity. Edited by Zouali M. New York, NY: Springer.
• Mahdaviani S, Higgins GC, Kerr NC. 2005. Orbital Pseudotumor in a Child with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  J Pedatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. Vol. 42, no. January: 185-188.
• Robinson RF, Nahata MC, Hayes JR, Rennebohm RM, Higgins GC. 2003. Quality of Life Measurements in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated with Etanercept.  Clin Drug Invest. Vol. 23, no. January: 511-518.
• Bowyer SL, Roettcher PA, Higgins GC, et al. 2003. Health Status of Patients with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at 1 and 5 Years after Diagnosis.  J Rheumatology. Vol. 30, no. January: 394-400.
• Foster JL, Higgins GC, Jackson FR. 1996. Biochemical properties and tissue distribution of the Drosophila DG1 cGMP-dependent protein kinase. J Biol Chem 271:23322-23328.
• Higgins GC, Foster JL, Postlethwaite AE. 1994. Interleukin-1ß propeptide is detected intracellularly and extracellularly when human monocytes are stimulated with LPS in vitro. J Exp Med. 180: 607-614.
• Higgins GC, Wu Y, Postlethwaite AE. 1999. Intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist is elevated in human dermal fibroblasts that overexpress intracellular precursor IL-1. J Immunol 163:3969-3975.
• Higgins GC, Postlethwaite AE. 1996. Synovial fluids from rheumatoid arthritis patients contain a unique inhibitor of IL-1. J Rheumatol 23: 965-973.
• Myers LK, Thompson JW, Walton C, Hendricks J, Kerr N., Pandya R., Seyer JD, Postlethwaite AE, Kang AH, Higgins GC. 2001. Juvenile Arthritis and Autoimmunity to Type II Collagen. Arthritis Rheum 44: 1775-1781.
• Chao CP, Blaiss MS, Higgins GC. 1993. A 4-year-old girl with chronic pruritic rash. Ann Allergy 71:217-222.
• Lew DB, Higgins GC, Skinner RB, Snider MD, Myers LK. 1999. Adverse reaction to prednisone in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Ped. Dermatol 16:146-150.
• Navarro MJ; Higgins GC; Lohr KM; Myers LK. 2002. Amelioration of relapsing polychondritis in a child treated with oral collagen.  The American Journal Of The Medical Sciences. Vol. 324, no. January: 101-103.
• Higgins GC. 2002. Adolescent Rheumatology. In Adolescent Medicine Secrets. Edited by Holland-Hall C, Brown RT. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby.
• Chung EK, Yang Y, Rennebohm RM, Lokki M-L, Higgins GC, Jones KN, Zhou B, Blanchong CA, Yu CY. 2002. Genetic sophistication of human complement components C4A and C4B and RP-C4-CYP21-TNX (RCCX) modules in the major histocompatibility complex.  American Journal of Human Genetics. Vol. 71, no. January: 823-837.
• Myers LK; Higgins GC; Finkel TH; Reed AM; Thompson JW; Walton RC; Hendrickson J; Kerr NC; Pandya-Lipman RK; Shlopov BV; Stastny P; Postlethwaite AE; Kang AH. 2001. Juvenile arthritis and autoimmunity to type II collagen.  Arthritis Rheum. Vol. 44, no. January: 1775-1781.
• Artlett CM et al for the Childhood Myositis Heterogeneity Collaborative Study Group. 2001. Persistent maternally derived perhpheral microchimerism is associated with juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.  Rheumatology. Vol. 40, no. January: 1279-1284.
• Brunner HI; Kim KN; Ballinger SH; Bowyer SL; Griffin TA; Higgins GC; Mier R; Passo MH; Rennebohm R; Schikler K; Lovell DJ. 2001. Current medication choices in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis II--update of a survey performed in 1993.  Journal Of Clinical Rheumatology: Practical Reports On Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases. Vol. 7, no. January: 295-300.
• Higgins GC; Wu Y; Postlethwaite AE. 1999. Intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist is elevated in human dermal fibroblasts that overexpress intracellular precursor IL-1 alpha.  J Immunol. Vol. 163, no. January: 3969-3975.
• Lew DB, Higgins GC, Skinner RB, Snider MD, Myers LK. 1999. Adverse reaction to prednisone in a patient with system lupus erythematosus.  Ped Dermatol. Vol. 16, no. January: 146-150.
• Higgins GC; Postlethwaite AE. 1996. Synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis contains a unique inhibitor of interleukin 1 alpha.  J Rheumatology. Vol. 23, no. January: 965-973.
• Foster JL, Higgins GC, Jackson FR. 1996. Biochemical properties and tissue distribution of the Drosophila DG1 cGMP-dependent protein kinase.  J Biol Chem. Vol. 271, no. January: 23322-23328.
• Higgins GC; Foster JL; Postlethwaite AE. 1994. Interleukin 1 beta propeptide is detected intracellularly and extracellularly when human monocytes are stimulated with LPS in vitro.  The Journal Of Experimental Medicine. Vol. 180, no. January: 607-614.
• Brunner HL, Kim KN, Ballinger SH, Bowyer SL, Griffin TA, Higgins GC, Mier R, Passo MH, Rennebohm R, Schikler K, Lovell DJ. 2001. Current Medication Choices in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis II – Update of a Survey Performed in 1993. J Clin Rheumatol 7:295-300.
• Chao CP; Blaiss MS; Higgins GC. 1993. A 4-year-old girl with chronic pruritic rash.  Annals Of Allergy. Vol. 71, no. January: 217-222.
• Kotb M, Ohnishi H, Majumdar G, Hackett S, Bryant A, Higgins G, Stevens D. 1993. Temporal relationship of cytokine release and peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated by the streptococcal superantigen pep M5.  Infection and Immunity. Vol. 61, no. January: 1194-1201.
• Higgins GC, Postlethwaite AE. 1991. IL-1 inhibitors and their significance in rheumatoid arthritis. In Monoclonal Antibodies, Cytokines, and Arthritis. Edited by Kresina TF. New York, NY: Marcel Decker Inc.
• Foster JL, Higgins GC, Jackson FR. 1988. Cloning, sequence and expression of Drosophila cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit gene.  J Biol Chem. Vol. 263, no. January: 1676-1681.
• Lee MS, Rosenspire AJ, Higgins GC, Pollak SV, Choi YS. 1986. A unique polypeptide on avian antigen-specific suppressor T-Cell radioiodinated in situ by antigen-lactoperoxidase conjugates.  Molec Immunol. Vol. 23, no. January: 97-109.
• Lifter J, Higgins G, Choi YS. 1980. Biochemical characterization of surface immunoglobulin.  Molec Immunol. Vol. 17, no. January: 483-490.
• Higgins G, McDermott C, Choi YS. 1979. Avian antigen-binding cells. II. Enrichment of antigen-binding B and T cells.  J Immunol. Vol. 123, no. January: 2076-2082.
• Higgins G, Choi YS. 1979. Avian antigen-binding cells. I. Characterization of antigen binding T cells from bursectomized chickens by autoradiography.  J Immunol. Vol. 123, no. January: 2068-2075.
• (Higgins) Wright G. 1977. Changes in plasma membrane enzyme activities during liver regeneration in the rat.  Biochem Biophys Acta. Vol. 470, no. January: 368-381.
• Koneru S, Shishov M, Ware A, Farhey Y, Mongey AB, Graham TB, Passo MH, Houk JL, Higgins GC, Brunner HI. Effectively measuring adherence to medications for systemic lupus erythematosus in a clinical setting. Arthritis and Rheumatism 57: 1000-6, 2007.
• Yang Y, Chung EK, Wu YL, Savelli SL, Nagaraja HN, Zhou B, Hebert M, Jones KN, Shu Y, Kitzmiller K, Blanchong CA, McBride KL, Higgins GC, Rennebohm RM, Rice RR, Hackshaw KV, Roubey RA, Grossman JM, Tsau BP, Birmingham DJ, Rovin BH, Hebert LA, Yu CY. Gene copy-number variation and associated polymorphisms of complement component C4 in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Low copy number is a risk factor for and high copy number is a protective factor against SLE susceptibility in European Americans. American Journal of Human Genetics 80: 1037-54, 2007.
• Zannin ME, Martin G, Athreya BH, Russo R, Higgins GC, Vittadello F, Alpigiani MG, Alessio M, Paradidi M, Woo P, Zulian F. Ocualr involvement in children with localized scleroderma: a multicenter study. British Journal of Ophthalmology 91: 1311-1314, 2007.

• American Academy of Pediatrics Visiting Professor in Rheumatology, May 2007
• Listed, Best Doctors in America