Characteristics of adult patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Aim: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis may remain active into adulthood. This review aims to characterize patients with this condition in terms of quality of life, psychosocial well-being, and various comorbidities, especially those that have recently been described.

Materials and Methods: Methods involved analyzing studies investigating the mentioned features: meta-analyses, reviews, and cohorts.

Conclusions: Results show that quality of life and psychosocial well-being, occupational and social functioning, and, sometimes, cognitive functioning are decreased, while pain and fatigue are increased. In contrast, analyses of emotional health outcomes did not show a higher prevalence of depression or anxiety in adults with JIA. Half of young adults with JIA have active disease, and more than one-third suffer detectable degrees of disability and organ damage. Frequent complaints and conditions are: abdominal pain, TMJ pain, uveitis, and juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome. JIA may also affect BMI, inflammation, and pain of the joints, Growth disorders, overall dysregulation of the immune system, and a negative correlation between disease activity and vitamin D levels. Nevertheless, patients with JIA exhibit lower functional impairment and better quality of life compared to other rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathies. Understanding the lasting impact on health and life satisfaction among adult patients with JIA requires a comprehensive approach that accounts for the multifactorial aspects of the individual's experience with the disease.