Clinical features and serologic abnormalities in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract One hundred patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis were studied with respect to clinical features at onset, type of disease progression, and immunologic abnormalities. Irrespective of pattern of onset, most patients eventually developed polyarticular disease. Monarticular disease was more common in children under the age of 5. A higher incidence of positive latex fixation tests and antinuclear antibodies were found in patients with active disease. Whereas the monarticular disease in males often became polyarticular, that in females remained monarticular. Females had a significanty higher incidence of antinuclear antibodies, greater variation in serum complement levels, and increased serum levels of IgA and IgM. Males with active disease had a significantly greater incidence of elevated serum lgG than did females with comparable disease activity.