Defining Inactivity of Juvenile Spondyloarthropathies: Delphi Study Among Pediatric Rheumatology Academy (PeRA) From...

Juvenile spondyloarthropathies (JSpA) are a group of chronic inflammatory diseases that differ in their clinical features and course from adult spondyloarthropathies and other subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Therefore, defining disease inactivity in JSpA requires specific criteria. This Delphi study aimed to establish a national consensus on its core clinical, laboratory, and radiological domains.

A total of 27 pediatric rheumatologists participated in the Delphi survey, conducted in two rounds. Participants were asked multiple-choice and Likert-type questions regarding their preferences for using domains including anamnesis, laboratory findings, imaging methods, and predefined disease activity scores for assessing inactivity. At the end of each round, the study coordinators determined the "strong consensus" items based on a power analysis of these parameters.

The absence of "pain or tenderness in the peripheral joints, lower back and entheseal regions" in anamnesis domain and "tenderness in the peripheral joints, entheseal areas, and hip examination"; "swelling in the peripheral joints; tenderness on sacroiliac compression testing"; and "no reduction in hip RoM examination" in physical examination domain received the highest scores and were accepted as strong consensus. Furthermore, normalization of MRI findings of SIJ and hip/peripheral joint and "physician global score = 0" reached the specified thresholds, resulting in strong consensus following the second round.

This Delphi study highlights the need for a multidimensional approach that integrates clinical, radiological, and physician assessments to define disease inactivity in patients with JSpA. The resulting consensus provides a more specific assessment on inactivity defining JSpA patients and reflects a national consensus.