COMPLICATION AND PROGNOSIS OF JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS ASSOCIATED UVEITIS IN THE ERA OF MODERN IMMUNOMODULATORY TREATMENT

JIA is the most common rheumatic disease of childhood and JIA-U is its most frequent and most devastating extraarticular manifestation. This form of uveitis is usually asymptomatic, chronic anterior uveitis, often accompained with complications. JIA-U is the main cause of vision loss and even blidness in childhood. Thus, screening for JIA-U in all JIA patients and early treatment is of prime importance. Over the last 15-20 years, ever since IMT has been used, studies generally show trends toward decrease of JIA-U onset, complications frequency, improvement of prognosis and remission achievement. Despite evident improvements, over 20% JIA-U patients still develop complications in long-term follow-up. Moreover, about 50% JIA-U patients continue to have active uveitis in adulthood. Therefore, JIA-U is still associated with high risk of late sequelae and visual acuity loss, functionally and structurally eye damage and quality of life impairment.