Minor impact of juvenile arthritis on nutritional status in young adult patients

Growth abnormalities and poor nutritional status have been reported in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of juvenile chronic rheumatic disease on current nutritional status in adult patients in remission or with active disease.

One hundred thirty-eight women and 82 men, aged >20 years, with JIA were studied after a mean disease duration of 15.5 +/- 2.3 years. Eighty-four (61%) of the women and 49 (60%) of the men were in remission. Forty-one healthy women and 54 healthy men served as a reference group. Body composition was analyzed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

There was no difference in height or body mass index (BMI) between patients and healthy subjects. However, female patients with systemic disease had significantly reduced BMI compared with those with pauciarticular JIA (P < 0.001), and female patients who used or had been using corticosteroids had significantly lower weight, height, and BMI compared with the patients who had never used corticosteroids (P < 0.05). Female patients in remission had significantly more lean body mass compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05) and significantly less body fat was found in both women and men (P < 0.01 for both). Patients with active disease had the same amount of lean body mass as the healthy controls, but significantly less body fat (P < 0.05 for women and P < 0.01 for men).

Adult patients with JIA had attained normal height, weight, and BMI, with the exception of women with systemic JIA and those who were using or had used corticosteroids. Patients with JIA in remission seemed to have a better nutritional status than healthy subjects.