Arthritis in children

Juvenile spondyloarthropathies: clinical manifestations and medical imaging

The spondyloarthropathies comprise four distinct entities--ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, the arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease, and Reiter's syndrome and other related forms of reactive arthritis. Although these are distinct diseases, they have a number of clinical, radiologic, and genetic characteristics in common which permit them to be classified under the unifying term "spondyloarthropathy". They are diseases of young adults, and when they present in patients under 16 years of age we refer to them as the "juvenile" spondyloarthropathies. They must be distinguished from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which is a totally separate entity; however the distinction may not always be obvious. Involvement of peripheral and sacroiliac joints commonly occurs in the juvenile spondyloarthropathies. The peripheral arthritis may be erosive and associated with bone apposition at the joint margins. Axial involvement is usually a late finding. Dactylitis and tenosynovitis are frequently present early on. Enthesitis, a highly specific feature, occurs much more often in the juvenile spondyloarthropathies than in the adult forms and it may be the only presenting feature. The plain radiograph is the primary and most important imaging modality for the assessment of these diseases. However, an expanding role of magnetic resonance imaging is evident.

Giant cell vasculitis with extravascular granulomas in an adolescent

We describe an 18-year-old white male who developed lower extremity ischemia requiring amputation. He presented at 14 with pulmonary infiltrates, hepatosplenomegaly, fever, rash, adenopathy, uveitis, and arthralgias; clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Despite adequate treatment with antibiotics, he developed chronic arthralgias and fevers, with rash and pericardial effusion. Criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus were not met; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed presumptively. Over the subsequent 4 years he developed lymphadenopathy with biopsy-proven nonnecrotizing granulomas, chronic leg ulceration with granulomatous histology, and acute-onset impending gangrene of the left foot. A biopsy of the posterior tibial artery demonstrated giant cell arteritis. Although the histologic features were consistent with Takayasu's arteritis, complete aortic arteriography was normal. Examination of the amputated leg showed multifocal segmental giant cell arteritis. Clinicopathologic features suggested, but were not fully consistent with, juvenile systemic granulomatosis. His disease may represent a separate sarcoid-like entity in the broad spectrum of vasculitis.

Intra-articular steroids in pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis, type 1

The use of intra-articular steroids in one or both knees was evaluated in 21 children with type 1 pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). The beneficial effect of the injection was noted within 3 days with no significant adverse reactions. Remission exceeding 6 months was seen in 70% of the knees and the arthritis remained inactive during the follow up period in 37%. The beneficial effect of the injection did not correlate with sex, age of onset or the presence of antinuclear antibodies or HLA-B27 antigen and there was no relationship with the size of involved joints at onset, the ESR at onset, or the presence of uveitis. Intra-articular corticosteroids in this type of JCA may provide prompt relief of swelling and pain and reduce the need for other forms of therapy. Remission was long lasting in the majority of the children.