Cyril Mauffrey and David J. Hak (eds.)Passport for the Orthopedic Boards and FRCS Examination10.1007/978-2-8178-0475-0_19

Juvenile Arthritis

Ashok Johari¹, Ratna Maheshwari¹ and Shalin Maheshwari¹

(1)

Childrens’ Orthopedic Centre, 2nd Floor, Bobby Apartments, 143 L. J. Road, Mahim (W), Mumbai, 400016, India

Ashok Johari

Take-Home Message

Age of onset <16 years, with symptoms >6 weeks.
Can be associated with uveitis.
Can present with limb-length discrepancy.
Positive rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody (ANA) may indicate a more aggressive course.

Definition

Juvenile Idiopathic arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis of joints in children lasting more than 6 weeks.

The American College of Rheumatology has established five criteria for the diagnosis of JRA.

Age at onset younger than 16 years
Arthritis of one or more joints
Symptom duration of at least 6 weeks
An onset type, after 6 months’ observation, of the polyarthritic form (five or more affected joints), the oligoarthritic form (fewer than five joints affected), or the systemic form with arthritis and characteristic fever
Exclusion of other forms of arthritis