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Aetiology of arthritis in hospitalised children: an observational study

Camille Aupiais1, Brice Ilharreborde2, Catherine Doit3

  • 1Unité d'Epidémiologie clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France Inserm, U1123, Paris, France Univ Denis Diderot Paris 7, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|March 4, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Septic arthritis was the most common reason for hospitalizing children with a first-time arthritis episode. Further research is needed to improve the diagnosis of childhood arthritis with unknown causes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Rheumatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Pediatrics

Background:

  • Childhood arthritis encompasses various conditions, including septic arthritis, viral arthritis, reactive arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
  • Understanding the etiological landscape of arthritis in hospitalized children is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate the distinct types of arthritis among children admitted for their initial presentation of arthritis.
  • To identify the primary causes and clinical characteristics of pediatric arthritis requiring hospitalization.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective, descriptive case series study was conducted.
  • Data were collected from children under 16 years hospitalized for arthritis between January 2008 and December 2009 at a French tertiary care center.
  • Demographic and clinical features were analyzed using statistical tests, including chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and non-parametric tests.

Main Results:

  • Septic arthritis was the leading cause of hospitalization (43.4%), frequently associated with Kingella kingae and Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) accounted for 8.1% of cases, while 40.4% remained undiagnosed.
  • Septic arthritis typically affected a single joint and occurred at a younger median age (1.5 years) compared to JIA (4.7 years).

Conclusions:

  • Septic arthritis is the predominant cause of arthritis in hospitalized pediatric patients.
  • Despite advancements in molecular diagnostics for synovial fluid, improving the diagnosis of childhood arthritis of unknown etiology remains a challenge.
  • Further strategies are necessary to enhance the diagnostic yield for pediatric arthritis cases with unclear origins.
Abstract

Keywords:
Bone DiseaseEpidemiologyInfectious DiseasesRheumatology

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