Pulmonary Involvement in Children With Systemic JIA

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis is an autoinflammatory disease that can be associated with severe lung disease. Systemic JIA-associated lung disease may present with chronic cough, dyspnea, and characteristic radiographic findings.

This observational study will evaluate clinical, laboratory, and radiographic features of lung involvement in children aged 16 years or younger diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis according to ILAR criteria at Assiut University Children's Hospital.

Primary outcomes

• Frequency of pulmonary involvement [Baseline]: Percentage of children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis who have clinical or radiographic evidence of lung involvement.

Secondary outcomes

• Frequency of ground-glass opacities on HRCT [Baseline]: Percentage of children showing ground-glass opacities on high-resolution computed tomography of the chest.
• sJADAS score [Baseline]: Mean systemic Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (sJADAS) (range 0 to 50, higher scores indicate higher disease activity).
• Frequency of macrophage activation syndrome [Baseline]: Percentage of children with a documented history of macrophage activation syndrome..
• Oxygen saturation [Baseline]: Mean resting oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry.

Sex: All, ages: any to 16 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis fulfilling ILAR classification criteria
* Age 16 years or younger
* Written informed consent from parent or legal guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

* \- Other subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis
* Pre-existing chronic lung disease unrelated to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis
* Overlapping connective tissue disease or distinct autoinflammatory syndrome other than systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis
* Age greater than 16 years

• Hekma s Farghaly, prof, Study chair, Pediatrics Department, Assiut University Hospitals