One-year follow-up of a short specific carbohydrate diet intervention in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A retrospectively controlled study with focus on medical burden.

OBJECTIVES

Studies on diet as a complementary treatment in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are limited. We have previously reported initial findings from a study exploring the potential anti-inflammatory effects of a 1-month specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) in children with JIA. This paper presents the full-year follow-up results, primarily focusing on changes in medication needs before and after the intervention.

METHODS

Twenty-eight patients with JIA, with low disease activity, were included. The results of disease activity, physical function, pain, morning stiffness, and inflamed joints from the 1-month intervention, as well as long-term effects, were evaluated. The medical burden during the year before and 1 year after the dietary intervention was compared with three times as many retrospective patients with JIA.

RESULTS

Despite adherence challenges, twenty-one children completed at least 1 month on the diet with a significant improvement in clinical variables that appeared to persist for several months. Sixteen children completed a 1-year follow-up, and the medical burden was compared with that of 48 matched retrospective controls. We observed no significant group-level changes in medication use from the dietary intervention. In six participants, the need for medical escalation was eliminated following the dietary intervention, and this effect was maintained for 1 year.

CONCLUSION

The SCD shows promise in alleviating symptoms in children with JIA, both in the short and long-term. While no significant group-level changes were observed, some participants avoided treatment escalations, suggesting individual benefits. However, larger-scale studies using a less complicated diet are necessary to draw definitive conclusions. Clinical Trials Identifier NCT04205500, 2019/12/17, retrospectively registered. URL: https://register.

CLINICALTRIALS: gov . Key Points • The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) allowed some participants to avoid planned medication escalations, indicating its potential role in managing JIA symptoms. • Most participants faced difficulties with long-term adherence to the restrictive SCD, highlighting the need for more sustainable dietary strategies. • Further studies are needed to identify specific dietary components that drive benefits and to explore underlying mechanisms for effective dietary recommendations in pediatric rheumatology.