Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

Measurement of health status, functional status, and quality of life in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: clinical science for the pediatrician.

Duffy CM

Division of Paediatric Rheumatology, Montreal Children's Hospital, 2300 Tupper Street, Room C503, Montreal, Quebec, H3H 1P3 Canada. ciaran.duffy@muhc.mcgill.ca

Several groups have undertaken research on health status, functional status, and quality of life in the pediatric rheumatic diseases, particularly juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This article highlights the principles involved in this type of measurement, discusses the measures that have been developed for JIA, and describes the outcomes determined from recent retrospective and prospective longitudinal outcome studies. These studies suggest that although there has been improvement in overall outcomes, significant numbers of individuals persist with active disease into adulthood and have significant damage, reduced functional ability, and disability.

Published 11 April 2005 in Pediatr Clin North Am, 52(2): 359-72, v.
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