Juvenile Arthritis Prognosis

JUVENILE ARTHRITIS PROGNOSIS

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) there are three types of arthritis. Doctors classify juvenile arthritis based on the number of joints affected, the symptoms and the presence of antibodies in the blood.

1- Pauciarticular- is called this way because only one joint is usually affected.
Affect girls under the age of 8
The knee, ankle or wrist are most commonly affected
The fingers and toes are rarely affected
The symptoms are very mild
Occasionally three or four joints may be involved
The eyes have to be checked periodically to prevent blindness due to persistent eye inflammation

2- Polyarticular - four or five joints may be involved
About 30% of children suffer this type of arthritis
Girls are most commonly affected
Children with the IgM antibody have the most severe form of this disease

3- Systemic- a fever of at least a 102 degrees a day during two weeks suggest this type of juvenile arthritis.
Symptoms include joint pain swelling and stiffness
Inflammation of the heart,liver,lymph nodes and spleen
A few children develop adult arthritis

Cause
According to the AAOS juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease. No one knows exactly the cause. Juvenile Arthritis is not a hereditary disease.
The joint becomes inflamed
The joint stiffens
The joint's growth is changed

History
The first case of Juvenile Arthritis dates back to 1879 and it's considered a relatively modern disease.

Prognosis
The evolution of Juvenile Arthritis may be good if the following guidelines are followed.
The British Journal of Nutrition in the year 2000 reported a potential link between unhealthy fats and increased pain and stiffness in people with arthritis. They blamed it on a substance called nitrites used to cure and preserve various meats. Saturated fats are found in fatty red meats, dark meat poultry,whole milk,creme, cheese and tropical oils.