[Prognosis of the systemic forms of juvenile chronic arthritis. Apropos of 100 cases].

Abstract

The records of 100 children presenting with systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis were studied retrospectively. The precocity of onset and intensity of initial extra-articular signs did not seem to be correlated with a more severe outcome. On the other hand, the number of arthritides present during the first 6 months seemed to be associated with a different prognosis: the oligo- or abarticular forms generally had a better prognosis. In girls, onset was earlier and remissions were twice more frequent than in boys. Contrary to all other joints, the hip was susceptible of a radiological improvement in 25% of cases. Joint disabilities, especially of the wrist, were initially related to inflammation and pain; secondarily, they were chiefly related to the anatomic evolution, resulting in fusion of the joint spaces. At the last clinical examination after a 10 year's evolution, half of patients were in clinical remission, either without articular sequellae, with sequellae, the most severe of which being the hip involvement; 25% of patients still had systemic symptoms; 25% presented with polyarthritis with persisting biological and articular inflammatory signs.