Epidemiology of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in Alsace, France

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Epidemiology of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in Alsace, France

(J Rheumatol 2006;33:1377-81)

http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts06/1377.html

ABSTRACT.

Objective. To determine the incidence, prevalence, and principal

characteristics of the different forms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

(JIA) in the region of Alsace, northeastern France, using the new

classification of the International League of Associations for Rheumatology

(ILAR).

Methods. In 2002 we performed a retrospective epidemiologic study pertaining

to the year 2001. The pediatricians, rheumatologists, ophthalmologists,

orthopedic surgeons, and physicians involved in functional reeducation in

the Alsace region were interviewed, and all patients were classified

according to the new ILAR classification using the criteria revised in

Durban in 1997.

Results. Among the 361 clinicians contacted, the participation rate was

97.8%. The study identified 67 children followed for JIA in Alsace in 2001,

from a total population of 1.8 million inhabitants including 339,095

children under age 16 years. The incidence was calculated to be 3.2

cases/100,000/year and the prevalence 19.8 cases/100,000 children under age

16 years.

Among these 67 cases of JIA, the most frequent forms were oligoarthritis

(n = 27, 40.3%), polyarthritis without rheumatoid factor (RF; n = 15,

22.4%),

and enthesitis related arthritis (n = 12, 17.9%). Other forms, notably

systemic arthritis (n = 6, 8.9%) and psoriatic arthritis (n = 3, 4.5%), were

more rare and in this study there was no case of polyarthritis with RF. Only

4 patients (6%) were classified in the undifferentiated arthritis group

using the new classification. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA; by indirect

immunofluorescence, HEp > 1/80) were detected in patients with

oligoarthritis (81%) and polyarthritis without RF (79%). Uveitis occurred in

41% of children with oligoarthritis and in 14% of those with polyarthritis

without RF.

Conclusion. Our results are comparable to those of other studies carried out

in Caucasian populations with regard to incidence and prevalence. This work

also highlights the frequent presence of ANA and uveitis in patients with

oligoarthritis or polyarthritis without RF.

STÉPHANIE DANNER, CHRISTELLE SORDET, JOELLE TERZIC, LIONEL DONATO, MICHEL

VELTEN, MICHEL FISCHBACH, and JEAN SIBILIA

From the Department of Pediatry, Laboratory of Epidemiology, and Department

of Rheumatology, CHU Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France. S. Danner, MD; J.

Terzic, MD; M. Fischbach, MD, Department of Pediatry 1; C. Sordet, MD; J.

Sibilia, MD, Department of Rheumatology; L. Donato, MD, Department of

Pediatry 2; M. Velten, MD, Laboratory of Epidemiology. Dr. Danner and Dr.

Sordet contributed equally to this report. Address reprint requests to Dr.

J. Sibilia, Rheumatology Department, CHU Hautepierre, 67098 Strasbourg

Cedex, France. E-mail: jean.sibilia@...