Abstract

Objective: Uveitis, the most common extra-articular manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), is most commonly found in children with oligoarticular type and polyarticular rheumatoid factor (-) JIA. Close follow-up of these children by pediatric rheumatologists and ophthalmologists is important because of the risk of blindness if these cases are untreated. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of uveitis, demographic characteristics, and complications in children with JIA.

Material and Methods: Among the patients with JIA who were followed up at the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic of Dr Sami Ulus Maternity, Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital between January 2017 and July 2021, those with uveitis were included in the study. Location of uveitis, laterality, age at onset of uveitis, complications of uveitis, duration of follow up, laboratory findings, medications used, and status of uveitis at the time of data collection were obtained from the patients’ files.

Results: Uveitis was observed in 34 (7.1%) of the 473 children with JIA included in the present study. Twenty three patients were female (67.6%). The age at diagnosis of JIA was 5.9±5.1 years, and the age at diagnosis of uveitis was 7.5±4.2 years. The most common form of JIA was the persistent oligoarticular form. Compared with the age of onset of arthritis in all JIA patients, the age of onset of arthritis was lower in patients with JIA-associated uveitis (7.8±4.6 years vs. 5.9±5.1 years). Anatomically, all patients had anterior uveitis. Antinuclear antibody positivity was more common in children with JIA-associated uveitis (47.1%) than all of our patients with JIA (19%). In one of the patients, arthritis and uveitis were diagnosed simultaneously. Posterior synechia was found in three patients (8.8%). Arthritis was the first symptom in 27 patients (79.4%) and uveitis in six patients (17.6%), cataract in five patients (14.7%), glaucoma in two patients (5.9%), and blindness in one eye (2.9%).


Conclusion: Uveitis is the most common extra-articular complication of JIA and has sight-threatening complications which may lead to irreversible visual loss. The findings of this study suggest that the joint effort of pediatric rheumatologists and ophthalmologists is needed to diagnose these children promptly and treat them appropriately.
Key Words: Eye diseases, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Uveitis

Keywords: Uveitis, Eye diseases, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

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How to cite

1.
Bağlan E, Özdel S, Özdemir K, Çakar Özdal P, Bülbül M. Evaluation of Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis- Associated Uveitis from Rheumatology Perspective. Turk J Pediatr Dis [Internet]. 2022 Sep. 20 [cited 2025 May 25];16(5):374-7. Available from: https://turkjpediatrdis.org/article/view/847