Rheumatology

Laboratory tests are not very helpful when trying to determine whether a child with musculoskeletal complaints has any of the rheumatic diseases of childhood, and using adult models to evaluate these children is equally ineffective.

ABSTRACT: Dramatic progress has been made in our understanding of pediatric rheumatic disease. Various classification systems help identify juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), which involves unique considerations that distinguish it from rheumatoid arthritis in adults. Vaccination issues are important for children with JIA. Renal involvement with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is more common and more severe in children than in adults, but treatment of children who have SLE is similar to that of adults. Neonatal lupus erythematosus may occur in infants whose mothers have SLE. Juvenile dermatomyositis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Kawasaki disease is a common vasculitis of childhood, especially in infants and toddlers. Each of at least 8 major familial periodic fever clinical syndromes has specific distinguishing characteristics.