OBJECTIVE 1) To assess the quality of life (QOL) in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared with QOL of children with chronic medical conditions, and 2) To determine QOL in children with OSA after adenotonsillectomy in short- and long-term follow-up. DATA SOURCES/REVIEW METHODS: A literature review on QOL in pediatric OSA using the PubMed database. RESULTS The literature search y...

OBJECTIVE To compare serial C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) patients and investigate their application as diagnostic parameters and prognostic predictive factors. METHODS We carried out retrospective chart review among JRA patients who were followed-up at the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) between 1994...

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is comprised of a heterogeneous group of several disease subtypes that are characterized by the onset of arthritis before the age of 16 years and has symptoms lasting at least 6 weeks. The previous classification of JIA included seven different categories, whereas its current classification was compiled by the International League of the Association for Rheum...

To study the distribution of ocular involvement among persons with rheumatic disease, a cross-sectional survey was performed in 224 patients attending the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Of these patients, 102 presented with rheumatoid arthritis, 74 systemic lupus erythematosus, 39 systemic sclerosis, 6 mixed connective tissue disease, 2 pol...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between CD5+ B cell expression and IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). METHODS CD5+ B cell levels analyzed by flow cytometry and IgM-RF expression determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were compared in children with JRA, children with other collagen vascular diseases, and healthy controls. RESULTS Children...

INTRODUCTION The aim of our study was to investigate the association between arthritic disease activity and antibodies to mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV), because such a relation has been suggested. METHODS Anti-MCV levels were measured in 162 patients with early arthritis (123 with rheumatoid arthritis and 39 with undifferentiated arthritis) at baseline and at 1 and 2 years of foll...

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) leads to significant morbidity due to continued disease activity and drug toxicity. Retrospective analysis of patients with JRA seen at a tertiary care hospital between 1990-2000 was done. Data regarding the type of onset, course of disease, joints involved, treatment received, drug toxicity and outcome at last visit were retrieved from case records. There we...

PURPOSE Children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) rarely report temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, which may be due to pain avoidance mechanisms resulting in compromised masticatory function. This study examined the relationship between self-report measures of pain and dysfunction and measures of chewing performance in 44 JRA children and 34 normal controls. METHODS The children were...

Low molecular weight IgM, the monomeric subunit of pentameric IgM, was clearly detected by immunoblotting and filtration chromatographic techniques in six patients with juvenile chronic arthritis and in trace quantities in a further eight of 24 patients studied. This low molecular weight IgM moiety contributed up to 33% of the total circulating IgM and was strongly associated with raised serum ...

BACKGROUND High prevalence rates for rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthopathies, and systemic lupus erythematosus have been described in American Indian and Alaskan Native adults. The impact of these diseases on American Indian children has not been investigated. METHODS We used International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) codes to search two Indian Health Service (IHS) patient registra...