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TOPLINE
Adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) had a higher prevalence of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and several autoimmune conditions, as well as a higher risk for all-cause mortality, than individuals from the general population.
METHODOLOGY
- Researchers used data from a Norwegian registry between January 2009 and January 2025 to examine the burden of coexisting conditions and death from any cause among adults with JIA.
- They included 2932 adults with JIA (mean age, 27.3 years; 70.8% women) who had at least two JIA diagnoses recorded in specialist care during adulthood and matched them with 29,097 individuals from the general population.
- The 5-year prevalence of selected comorbidities and autoimmune conditions was assessed before study entry, and all-cause mortality was tracked for up to approximately 15 years.
- Outcomes were also compared between adults with JIA who had received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) during the year before study entry and those who had no recent exposure.
TAKEAWAY
- Adults with JIA had a higher 5-year prevalence of hypertension (3.6% vs 1.4%) and chronic kidney disease (0.5% vs 0.2%; P < .001 for both) than individuals from the general population.
- Autoimmune conditions were also significantly more prevalent in adults with JIA vs individuals from the general population: type 1 diabetes (1.7% vs 0.7%), coeliac disease (1.4% vs 0.7%), autoimmune thyroiditis (0.3% vs 0.1%), and autoimmune alopecia (0.4% vs 0.1%; P ≤ .001 for all).
- Adults with JIA had a higher risk for all-cause mortality than those from the general population (hazard ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.03-1.72).
- Among adults with JIA, comorbidity prevalence and all-cause mortality did not differ significantly between those who did and did not recently receive DMARDs after adjusting for age and sex.
IN PRACTICE
"Comorbidity screening should be considered as part of the routine follow-up of this patient group," the authors of the study wrote.
SOURCE
The study was led by Imane Bardan, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. It was published online on September 15, 2026, in Rheumatology.
LIMITATIONS
Adults who were not receiving specialist care were likely excluded. The registry lacked information on disease activity and why some patients were not receiving DMARDs. Detection bias may have contributed to higher recognition of cardiovascular disease risk factors among patients receiving rheumatology care.
DISCLOSURES
The study received support from the Norwegian Rheumatism Association, Senior Doctor Jan A. Pahle's legacy, and the Ragna and Egil Eiken Fund for Promoting Research in Rheumatology. Two authors reported having financial ties such as receiving funding grants, serving in consulting or advisory roles, and receiving lecture and speaking fees from multiple pharmaceutical companies.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
