[Juvenile spondarthritis. Retrospective study of 71 patients]

71 patients with juvenile spondarthritis were studied retrospectively. Age at onset of disease varied between 4 and 16 years. 94% of patients were HLA-B27 positive. Relatives with symptoms of spondarthritis were found in the families of 23 children. All patients developed radiographic sacroiliitis. Prominent disease symptom was a peripheral arthritis, which was mostly pauciarticular and asymmetric, involving big joints of the lower limbs. 41 patients suffered from heel pains, 33 complained of back or sacroiliac pains. An acute iridocyclitis with one or several relapses was seen in 10 patients. The results led to a basic concept of main and side criteria for diagnosis of juvenile spondarthritis. They enable a better classification for suspected or probable disease. Diagnosis is verified by manifestation of radiologic sacroiliitis.