A recent study identified higher prevalence rates of some autoimmune diseases among the parents of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, including psoriasis, autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. In the study, the prevalence of autoimmune disease among parents was slightly higher than 7.1%, compared to the reported prevalence of autoimmune disease in the general population of nearly 5%. The authors added, “To our knowledge, no overall prevalence rate for autoimmune disease has yet been reported for parents of juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients.” In addition, a family history of autoimmune disease was found to be particularly associated with psoriatic arthritis, undifferentiated arthritis, and enthesitis-related arthritis, but did not influence the severity or course of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Factors associated with familial autoimmune disease were older age at onset of juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Scandinavian residence; enthesitis-related arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and undifferentiated arthritis; and ANA and HLA-B27 positivity. These findings were published by van Straalen et al in Pediatric Rheumatology.
May 25, 2023