Aspectos geoepidemiológicos na artrite idiopática juvenil em uma região equatorial

Abstract

The Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic disease of childhood, being composed of heterogeneous subtypes with specific clinical presentations. Is described that environmental factors may influence the diversity of expression and the severity of clinical manifestations. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of environmental factors on the clinical picture of patients with JIA. Fifty patients with JIA treated at referral hospitals were randomly selected. They underwent clinical evaluation with expert as well as epidemiological investigation and laboratory evaluation. The gestational or early exposure to maternal and family smoking, duration of breastfeeding, parental education in years, family salary range, serum levels of vitamin D (VitD), and these correlated with the degree of clinical inflammatory activity through the JADAS score (Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score), with the level of disability measured by CHAQ (Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire) and the presence of deformities. Prevailing females and the mean age at assessment was 13,42 years. The rheumatoid factor negative polyarthritis subtype was the most prevalent (32%) and only 15 patients have deformities. There was a predominance of family salary range between 1 and 3 salaries, less than three months of breastfeeding, parents education of less than eight years and exposure to maternal and family smoking on 10 and 18 patients respectively; CHAQ average value was 0,36 and 28 patients were without disability; the JADAS average was 9.1±11; Vitamin D average was 31,52 ng/ml, with 50% presenting sufficient levels. No relationship between JADAS levels and vitamin D was observed; significant influence of environmental factors on the clinical picture was not detected. It was concluded that vitamin D levels were sufficient in half of the patients, probably reflecting the higher secondary sun exposure to the geographical location of the state of Ceará next the equator; no correlation was found between VitD and inflammatory activity in JIA. Environmental factors did not influence the clinical presentation of JIA in this research.