Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Knee Arthrocentesis in Adults
Published on: February 25, 2022
Incidence and characteristics of arthritis in Norwegian children: a population-based study
Øystein Rolandsen Riise1, Kai Samson Handeland, Milada Cvancarova
1Department of Rheumatology, Rikshospitalet Medical Centre, N-0027 Oslo, Norway. oystein.riise@rikshospitalet.no
Insights
The annual incidence of childhood arthritis is 71 per 100,000 children. This study identifies factors to help differentiate between various childhood arthritis subgroups.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Rheumatology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood arthritis encompasses various conditions with differing prognoses.
- Understanding incidence and early characteristics is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the annual incidence of childhood arthritis.
- To describe early disease, patient, microbiologic, and immunogenetic features across arthritis subgroups.
Main Methods:
- Population-based multicenter study in southeastern Norway (2004-2005).
- Inclusion of children under 16 years with suspected or confirmed arthritis.
- Clinical, radiologic, and laboratory assessments, with chart review for case ascertainment.
Main Results:
- Overall annual incidence of 71 per 100,000 children.
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) incidence was 14 per 100,000; transient arthritis 43 per 100,000.
- Higher incidence in children <8 years; HLA-B27 associated with JIA.
Conclusions:
- Confirmed annual incidence of childhood arthritis.
- Identified differentiating factors for arthritis subgroups, aiding clinical distinction.
Objective:
The purpose of this work was to assess the annual incidence of arthritis in children and describe early disease and patient characteristics, microbiologic features, and immunogenetic factors in children with different subgroups of childhood arthritis.
Patients And Methods:
A population-based multicenter study was performed in southeastern Norway between June 1, 2004, and May 31, 2005. The total population of children under 16 years of age was 255,303. Physicians were asked to refer their patients with suspected arthritis to the local department of pediatrics or rheumatology. The children were assessed on the basis of clinical, radiologic, and laboratory examinations at inclusion and followed up at 6 weeks, 6 months, and thereafter as long as clinically indicated. A chart review was performed to identify patients with arthritis who had not been included prospectively.
Results:
The total annual incidence of arthritis was 71 per 100,000 children. Transient arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, postinfectious arthritis, and infectious arthritis were found in 43, 14, 9, and 5 of 100,000 children, respectively. The incidence was higher in children under the age of 8 years than in older children (107 vs 34 per 100,000). Arthritis occurred more frequently in boys than in girls before the age of 8 years but not thereafter. The median age of onset was lower in children with infectious arthritis than in those with other types of arthritis. Monarthritis was less frequent in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis than in the other subgroups (64% vs 83%-100%). Ten percent of the patients had poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, and only 1 had enteropathic arthritis. Autoantibodies and the presence of HLA-B27 were associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Conclusions:
The annual incidence of childhood arthritis was 71 per 100,000 children. We found several factors that may help in differentiating between subgroups of arthritis.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
01:08Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health condition at a...
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies