This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Patients with later-onset RF– polyarticular JIA experienced favorable 2-year outcomes
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Patients with later-onset rheumatoid factor negative polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis experienced very good 2-year outcomes, according to study results.
Researchers searched a database of the rheumatology clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto for patients diagnosed with rheumatoid factor negative (RF–) polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) aged at least 10 years and less than 16 years at diagnosis and seen between 1984 and 2002. Using a retrospective chart analysis, they recorded the number of active joints, medications, laboratory information and health assessment questionnaire scores at diagnosis and at 6, 12 and 24 months.
Ninety-three patients with RF– polyarticular JIA (mean age at presentation, 12.7 years; 80% girls) were followed for at least 2 years. The mean number of active joints decreased from 16 to less than 10 as early as 6 months after diagnosis, and 50% of patients had less than five active joints. Wrist, knee and small joints of the hand were affected most often. Initial active joint count, classified as mild, moderate or severe at presentation, was the only predictor of active joint count at 2-year follow-up. No correlations were observed between sex, age and laboratory results at presentation and at 2 years. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used to treat 98% of patients, with 56% receiving at least one disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.
“Despite the limitations of this study [retrospective design, few patients receiving biologics and length of follow-up], we suggest that clinicians should recognize that patients with RF– polyarticular JIA with peri- or post-pubertal onset may form a distinct subgroup of JIA that was frequently associated with inactive disease at 2 years and a low risk for uveitis and associated ocular damage,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts