Pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis presenting in an adult

Type I pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (PA-JRA) is characterized by a female predominance, chronic iridocyclitis and a positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test. In contrast, patients with type II PA-JRA are usually male, have a negative ANA test, but are HLA-B27 positive. We report a patient with longstanding iridocyclitis who presented at age 20 with oligoarthritis, whom we believe has Type I PA-JRA. Slit lamp examination should be considered in patients with oligoarthritis; the detection of asymptomatic chronic iridocyclitis may aid in the diagnosis. Untreated, this condition may cause irreversible ocular damage.