Adherence to treatment of children and adolescents recently diagnosed with auto-immune Rheumatic Diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: Adherence problems have a great impact on auto-immune Rheumatic Diseases (AIRD). The COVID-19 pandemic may have worsened treatment adherence. The aims of this study were to measure treatment adherence to identify an earlier risk of poor adherence and measure families' satisfaction with the health service during the pandemic.

EARLY DETECTION OF POOR ADHERENCE TO TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC RHEUMATIC DISEASES: PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGY ADHERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE - A PILOT STUDY.

Objective: To develop a questionnaire that allows the early detection of patients at risk for poor adherence to medical and non-medical treatment in children and adolescents with chronic rheumatic diseases.

Methods: The Pediatric Rheumatology Adherence Questionnaire (PRAQ) was applied in recently diagnosed patients within a period of one to four months after confirmation of the rheumatic disease. After six months, the patients' adherence to the medical and non-medical treatment was assessed.

Psychological characteristics of caregivers of pediatric patients with chronic rheumatic disease in relation to treatment adherence.

Background: Adherence to treatment for chronic diseases is lower in children than in adults, less extensively studied in children and is associated with multiple related factors. The aim of this study is to perform a descriptive analysis of psycho-cognitive aspects of primary caregivers of pediatric patients with chronic rheumatic diseases, as well as socioeconomic and clinical factors, family functioning and treatment satisfaction.

Methods: Primary caregivers of 90 patients were included.

Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in clinical remission with positive power Doppler signal in joint ultrasonography have an increased rate of clinical flare: a prospective study.

Background: Ultrasonography (US) studies carried out on joints of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients in clinical remission demonstrate the presence of subclinical synovitis. The significance of subclinical synovitis and the positive power Doppler (PD) signal on US in JIA in clinical remission is not well understood. The objectives of this study were to assess whether the changes detected by US in patients with JIA in clinical remission can predict disease flare and to evaluate factors associated with flare and joint damage over 30 months of follow-up.

Intra-articular injection in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: factors associated with a good response.

Introduction: Intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (IIC) for treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is increasingly used in Pediatric Rheumatology.

Objectives: To describe the clinical course of patients undergoing IIC in our Pediatric Rheumatology Unit.

Methods: Retrospective study of patients with JIA undergoing IIC from January 2008 to December 2012, with a minimum follow-up of six months after the injection.

Intra-articular injection in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: factors associated with a good response.

Introduction: Intra-articular injection of corticosteroids (IIC) for treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is increasingly used in Pediatric Rheumatology.

Objectives: To describe the clinical course of patients undergoing IIC in our Pediatric Rheumatology Unit.

Methods: Retrospective study of patients with JIA undergoing IIC from January 2008 to December 2012, with a minimum follow-up of six months after the injection.

Do patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in remission exhibit active synovitis on joint ultrasound?

The aim of the study was to assess the presence and characteristics of subclinical synovitis using power Doppler (PD) ultrasonography on patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in clinical remission and compare the findings with those of healthy children. A cross-sectional study was carried out involving the clinical (physical exam, functional capacity and laboratory tests) and ultrasonography evaluation of 34 joints (synovial fluid/hypertrophy, PD signal and bone erosion). Subclinical synovitis was defined as the presence of synovial hypertrophy/joint effusion with or without any PD signal.

Association between the ultrasonographic and clinical findings in the hips of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To describe the ultrasonographic (US) findings in the hips of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and the association between these findings and the signs, symptoms, and activity of the disease.

Materials And Methods: The present retrospective study included 92 patients with JIA. The disease subtypes, age at disease onset, length of disease progression, disease activity, and clinical manifestations of the hip pathology were assessed.

Laser Doppler imaging for assessment of microcirculation in juvenile systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the dynamic behaviour of digital skin microvascular blood flow before and after cold stimulation using laser Doppler imaging (LDI) in children and adolescents with RP secondary to juvenile systemic sclerosis (JSS), primary RP (PRP) and healthy controls and to compare functional abnormalities measured by LDI with structural microvascular abnormalities evaluated by nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC).

Methods: Five JSS patients, five children and adolescents with PRP and five healthy controls matched for gender and age were included. All subjects had NFC performed.