Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease in children. The International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) has defined JIA as "arthritis of unknown etiology persisting for ≥6 wk with an onset at <16 y of age, after excluding other causes of joint inflammation". Synovial inflammation is the result of a complex interplay of aberrant immune systems (both adaptive and innate) in a genetically susceptible individual, with possible external stimuli/triggers. Diagnosis of JIA essentially remains clinical, and laboratory investigations usually help to assess the severity of disease activity. Few investigations like antinuclear antibodies (ANA), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27, and rheumatoid factor (RF) help to categorize or prognosticate a child with JIA. Timely use of effective therapeutic interventions including biological has shown good long-term outcomes of JIA.
Keywords: Children; Chronic arthritis; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation.