2024-02-15 17:44:10
Aysor.am starts a series of publications dedicated to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, following which you will get to know the causes of this disease, symptoms, different forms of manifestation, types of the disease, features of treatment and care.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation. The typical signs of joint inflammation are pain, swelling, and limited range of motion.
“Idiopathic” means that the cause of the disease is unknown, and “juvenile” means “juvenile”, that is, the signs of the disease appear before the age of 16 (in RA, the period of adolescence ends at the age of 18, so for our children Juvenile idiopathic arthritis diagnosis is applicable before that age).
The disease is chronic, which means that the treatment does not lead to a complete recovery, but allows to reduce the signs of the disease and improve laboratory indicators. It also means that at the time of diagnosis, it is not possible to predict how long the disease will last.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a relatively rare disease, affecting on average 1-2 in 1,000 children.
What are the causes of the disease?
Our immune system protects us from a variety of infection-causing microorganisms, including viruses and bacteria. It is capable of distinguishing between what is potentially foreign and harmful to our organism and subject to destruction, or what belongs to our organism.
Chronic arthritis is thought to be an abnormal response of the immune system, where it partially loses the ability to distinguish foreign from self and therefore attacks its own body parts, leading to inflammation, particularly of the joint membranes.
For this reason, diseases like Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis are called autoimmune, which means that the immune system works against the body’s own body.
However, like other chronic inflammatory diseases, exact information about the causes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis is lacking.
The question is often raised whether this disease is hereditary
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is not a hereditary disease, as it cannot be passed directly from parents to children. However, there are some genetic factors, mostly as yet undiscovered, that shape the predisposition to the disease. In the scientific world, there is a general opinion that this disease is the result of the combined effect of genetic predisposition and external environmental factors (including infectious agents). But even when a genetic predisposition can occur, it is very rare for two children from the same family to have the disease.
How is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis diagnosed?
Diagnosis is based on the presence and duration of arthritis, after excluding any other disease based on the patient’s history, physical examination, and laboratory findings.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is diagnosed when the disease begins before the age of 16, symptoms last for 6 weeks, and all diseases that could cause arthritis are ruled out.
This 6-week period is due to the need to rule out other transient arthritis that can be caused by various infections. The term JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis) includes all forms of persistent arthritis of unknown origin that begin in childhood. IIA includes different, already recognized, forms of arthritis.
What happens to the joints?
The synovial membrane is the thin inner lining of the joint capsule, which in arthritis becomes much thicker and becomes filled with inflammatory cells and produces large amounts of synovial fluid inside the joint. This causes swelling, pain, and limited range of motion. A characteristic expression of inflammation of the joint is considered its stiffness, which occurs after a long rest. It is most visible in the morning hours (morning sickness). Often the child wants to relieve the pain by giving the joint a half-flexed position, this position is called “antalgic”, emphasizing that its meaning is to relieve pain. When this incorrect position is maintained for a long time (usually more than 1 month), it leads to shortening (contracture) of the muscles and tendons and causes a (flexion) extension disorder.
In the case of incomplete treatment, inflammation of the joint can lead to its damage, which occurs by two main mechanisms: the synovial membrane thickens greatly, becomes a fungal structure (so-called synovial pannus formation), and various substances are released that cause wear of the synovial cartilage and bone tissue.
X-rays look like holes in the bone and are called bone erosions. Prolonged stay in the saving position leads to muscle atrophy (muscle loss), muscle and soft tissue tension and contraction, which leads to impaired muscle contraction.
Follow our publications, where you will learn about the types of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, different forms of treatment, care features.