Triamcinolone into the knee joint in juvenile chronic arthritis

Sixty children aged less than 10 years with pauci-articular onset juvenile chronic arthritis and knee joint involvement received local injections with triamcinolone hexacetonide into the knee (total 83 knees). One year after injection, 77% of knees were excellent with no soft tissue swelling, no deformity and full range of movement, or good with slight swelling or deformity, but functioning well. Eleven knees which had relapsed within one year improved after a second injection and 2 after a third. Complications were limited to small areas of subcutaneous tissue atrophy in 2 patients. Intra-articular injection of long-acting steroids is a useful means of controlling disease activity in the knee joints of young children with pauci-articular juvenile chronic arthritis.