Simultaneous juvenile idiopathic arthritis and diabetes mellitus type 1 -- a Finnish nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the occurrence and main clinical and laboratory findings of patients having both juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM-1) in a period of 30 years.

METHODS

Eighty-two patients having simultaneous JIA and DM-1 were identified in the reimbursement registers of the Finnish National Institute of Insurance during the period 1976-2005. Data on their clinical histories were collected from patient files.

RESULTS

Occurrence of simultaneous JIA and DM-1 increased 4.5-fold between the first (1976-85) and the last (1996-2005) decade. Prevalence of uveitis was 7%, of rheumatoid factor seropositivity 15%; 22% of patients had a third autoimmune disease [autoimmune disease (AID)], and 16% had serious psychiatric problems.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of patients with the 2 diseases, JIA and DM-1, increased over 3 decades. The prevalence of uveitis was low, the number of seropositive patients was high, and further cases of AID were frequent. Patients had multiple additional problems necessitating multiprofessional care.