THE EFFECT EXCESS BODY WEIGHT ON THE CLINICAL FEATURES OF JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common rheumatic diseases in children. The current course of JIA in children is characterized by a distinct tendency of early disability, which prompts the diagnosis of comorbid conditions, in particular, excess body weight and obesity, considered as one of the main causes contributing to the aggravation of the disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of excess body weight on the clinical features of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children. Patients and methods. Fifty five children aged 4 to 18 years with JIA were observed at St. Mary Magdalene Children’s City Hospital No. 2 during the period 2020-2021. Depending on the values of the body mass index (BMI), the patients formed 2 groups: group 1 (n=18) - children with normal body weight; group 2 (n=22) - children with excess body weight. Each group of patients was divided into two subgroups according to their gender. We studied patients’ medical and life history, clinical manifestations of the disease, data of laboratory and instrumental methods of examination, and drug therapy. We used Student’s t criterion to determine the reliability of differences, we considered them reliable at significance level p <0.05. Results. Hereditary burden for chronic arthropathies in children was detected more frequently in excess body weight than in normal body weight (40.9%; 11.1%; p <0.05). At normal body weight, oligoarthritis was detected more frequently in boys than in girls (71.4%; 9.1%; p <0.05), polyarthritis was detected only in girls (27.3%). In girls, oligoarthritis was diagnosed more frequently in excess body weight than in normal body weight (50% and 9.1%; p <0.01). In excess body weight, the average degree of JIA activity was more frequent in girls than in boys (33.3%; 0%; p <0.05). Conclusion. These studies confirmed a higher severity of JIA in girls than in boys, and showed a higher severity of the disease in excess body weight girls.