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Congestive heart failure: an uncommon presentation of systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SOJIA)

Rakesh Mondal1, Sumantra Sarkar, Anirban Ghoshal

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, NBMCH, Darjeeling, India. rkm1971@indiatimes.com

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|December 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Systemic onset Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SOJIA) can rarely cause heart failure. This case highlights a child presenting with heart failure due to active myocarditis, successfully treated with immunosuppression.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Rheumatology
  • Pediatric Cardiology

Background:

  • Systemic onset Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SOJIA) is a rare autoimmune condition.
  • Cardiac complications like myocarditis and heart failure are infrequent in SOJIA.

Observation:

  • A rare case of an 11-year-old boy with SOJIA presenting with severe congestive heart failure is described.
  • The heart failure was secondary to active myocarditis during a disease flare.

Findings:

  • The patient's cardiac manifestations and SOJIA disease activity significantly improved.
  • Intensive immunosuppressive therapy was effective in managing both the myocarditis and the underlying arthritis.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering cardiac involvement in pediatric patients with SOJIA, even at presentation.
  • Early recognition and aggressive immunosuppressive treatment are crucial for managing cardiac complications in SOJIA.

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