Localized scleroderma in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis children

Introduction Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in childhood. Localized scleroderma also known as morphea is an inflammatory, fibrosing skin disorder that leads to sclerosis of the dermis and eventually of the underlying tissues. The prevalence is estimated at around 1-9/100,000 with the onset before 10 years of age in 2% of patients. The association between different autoimmune diseases is well described, but few studies have been performed to investigate the relationship between JIA and other autoimmune diseases, in particular very little is written about the possible association between arthritis and morphea. In these cases articular involvement in terms of arthralgia, impaired joint mobility, or joint contracture, may be related to a mechanical etiology secondary to the contracture of the overlying skin.