Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

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Not a rare disease

Other Names:

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid; Juvenile chronic arthritis; Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid; Juvenile chronic arthritis; Juvenile arthritis See More

Subtypes:

Enthesitis-related juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Summary Summary

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes pain and swelling in a child's joints. When the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints, the resulting inflammation can cause joint damage, resulting in the pain and swelling characteristic of the disease. Some children who have juvenile idiopathic arthritis are affected by episodes where the symptoms worsen, called flares. Like most other autoimmune conditions, juvenile idiopathic arthritis is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. To be diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the symptoms must have begun before age 16. Diagnosis of the condition may be based on blood tests, X-rays, and ruling out other similar conditions. Treatment options may include medications and physical therapy.^[1]

Last updated: 1/11/2017

Symptoms Symptoms

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Arthralgia	Joint pain	0002829
Arthritis	Joint inflammation	0001369
Autoimmunity	Autoimmune disease Autoimmune disorder [ more ]	0002960
Fever		0001945
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain	Pain in stomach Stomach pain [ more ]	0002027
Abnormal fingernail morphology	Abnormal fingernails Abnormality of the fingernails [ more ]	0001231
Abnormal pleura morphology		0002103
Abnormality of the sacroiliac joint		0100781
Cartilage destruction		0100773
Generalized hyperkeratosis		0005595
Joint dislocation	Joint dislocations Recurrent joint dislocations [ more ]	0001373
Joint stiffness	Stiff joint Stiff joints [ more ]	0001387
Joint swelling		0001386
Malabsorption	Intestinal malabsorption	0002024
Mediastinal lymphadenopathy	Swollen lymph nodes in center of chest	0100721
Nail pits	Nail pitting Pitted nails [ more ]	0001803
Psoriasiform dermatitis		0003765
Skin rash		0000988
Uveitis		0000554
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Hepatomegaly	Enlarged liver	0002240
Pericardial effusion	Fluid around heart	0001698
Splenomegaly	Increased spleen size	0001744

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Last updated: 2/1/2021

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Treatment Treatment

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

Tocilizumab (Brand name: Actemra) - Manufactured by Genentech, Inc
FDA-approved indication: May 2018, tocilizumab (Actemra) received expanded approval for treatment of pediatric patients (age 16 years and younger) with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
Medline Plus Health Information
Etanercept (Brand name: Enbrel®) - Manufactured by Amgen
FDA-approved indication: Reduction in signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular-course juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
Medline Plus Health Information
Adalimumab (Brand name: Humira) - Manufactured by AbbVie Inc.
FDA-approved indication: Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Reducing signs and symptoms and inducing and maintaining clinical remission in patients 6 years of age and older with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease who have had an inadequate response to corticosteroids or immunomodulators such as azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, or methotrexate.
National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
Medline Plus Health Information
Canakinumab (Brand name: Ilaris) - Manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
FDA-approved indication: June 2009, canakinumab (Ilaris) was approved for the treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), in adults and children 4 years of age and older. In May 2013, it was also approved for the treatment of active Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA) in patients aged 2 through 16 years.
National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
Meloxicam (Brand name: Mobic) - Manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
FDA-approved indication: For relief of the signs and symptoms of pauciarticular or polyarticular course Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in patients 2 years of age or older.
National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal
Medline Plus Health Information

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from MedlinePlus Genetics.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Arthritis Foundation
1355 Peachtree St. NE
6th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30309
Toll-free: 1-844-571-HELP (4357)
Telephone: +1-404-872-7100
Website: https://www.arthritis.org
Canadian Spondylitis Association (CSA)
Canada
Telephone: +1-705-715-2162
E-mail: info@spondylitis.ca
Website: http://www.spondylitis.ca
Juvenile Arthritis Association
8549 Wilshire Blvd. Suite #103
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
E-mail: info@juvenilearthritis.org
Website: https://www.facebook.com/juvenilearthritis/
The Arthritis Society
393 University Avenue, Suite 1700
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1E6
Canada
Toll-free: 1-800-321-1433
Telephone: +1-416-979-7228
Fax: +1-416-979-8366
E-mail: info@arthritis.ca
Website: https://arthritis.ca/

Organizations Providing General Support

American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA)
19176 Hall Road, Suite 130
Clinton Township, MI 48038
Toll-free: 800-598-4668
Telephone: 586-776-3900
Fax: 586-776-3903
E-mail: aarda@aarda.org
Website: https://www.aarda.org/

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Living With Living With

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

Good Days provides help to patients with life-altering conditions. Assistance includes help with the cost of medications and travel.
The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

In-Depth Information

Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

References References

Questions and Answers about Juvenile Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; June 2015; https://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_info/Juv_Arthritis/.

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