Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurs quite rarely, but should be suspected in a child presenting with arthralgias and systemic signs of sepsis. Once diagnosed, treatment necessitates a multidisciplinary approach to address the social, medical, and surgical issues. Current research into serologic methods of diagnosis shows great promise for better classifying patients, which ultimately will facilitate treatment. Recent well-designed randomized trials are providing better objective information on pharmacologic treatment alternatives. Surgery is reserved for recalcitrant cases that fail medical and occupational therapy. The goals of surgery in children with JRA are to delay or prevent joint destruction and closure of the epiphysis, to prevent or correct deformity, to decrease pain, and to maintain growth and joint motion.