Enthesitis related arthritis as the early stage of juvenile spondyloarthritis

Background

Peripheral enthesitis related arthritis (ERA) are the major clinical features in the juvenile onset spondyloarthritis (JSpA).

Objectives

To analyze the clinical characteristic of a population of patients with JSpA who presented ERA as their only clinical symptoms as the onset of the disease.

Methods

We have studied a group of 80 children diagnosed with JSpA following the ILAR criteria, selecting only those who expressed ERA as initial symptoms of the disease.

Results

41% patients with a mean age of 13 years (range 6–18 years) proved to have ERA.

The mean disease duration was 4,1 years (range 0,2–9 years).

They had enthesitis most frequent in Achilles tendon and plantar fascia – 33% patients; dactylitis – 30% patients and enthesitis of the site of attachment of the patellar tendon to the tibial tubercle – 6%.

76,8% patients presented arthritis involving peripheral joints and additionally 6,6% of them presented axial skeleton distribution.

Conclusion

ERA are most frequently and characteristic initial clinical features of spondyloarthritis.