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. 2017 Jun 14;43(1):56.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-017-0373-9.

The autoimmune burden in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Elena Tronconi  1   2 , Angela Miniaci  3 , Andrea Pession  3
Affiliations

The autoimmune burden in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Elena Tronconi et al. Ital J Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis of unknown origin which can be considered an autoimmune disease (AD). The aim of this study is to analyse the presence of two or more autoimmune diseases (polyautoimmunity) in patients suffering from JIA and to evaluate the occurrence of ADs in their families.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients diagnosed with JIA aged 0-21 years, admitted to the Paediatric Rheumatology Unit, Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna were screened for ADs. Parents were asked about the presence of ADs in the living relatives of first and second degree.

Results: Twelve of 79 patients (15.2%) had at least 1 AD associated with JIA. Eight patients (10.1%) suffered from autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), three patients had celiac disease, three patients suffered from psoriasis, one from alopecia and 1 from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The average age at diagnosis was 13.2 years and the cumulative incidence of AITD was 36%. Seventy-six families were studied for a total of 438 relatives. The prevalence of ADs was 13%, greater in first-degree relatives (16.7%) than in second-degree ones (11.1%). The most common AD was AITD; there was no difference in JIA's age of presentation between patients with positive and negative familiarity with ADs (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Children and adolescents with JIA present a high autoimmunity burden, most commonly represented by AITD. Familial autoimmunity is not negligible in patients suffering from JIA (almost 50% of patients have at least one relative with an AD) and it should always be carefully examined.

Keywords: Autoimmune thyroid disease; Autoimmunity; Children; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Kaplan Meier estimates of the cumulative incidence of AITD by year of diagnosis of JIA
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Family tree. Example of poliautoimmunity and familial autoimmunity. The patient is 13 years old and affected by JIA, coeliac disease and AITD; her sister is affected by psoriasis, the father by vitiligo and the mother suffers from AITD
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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