Complications

JIA can produce serious complications in more severe cases. 

Joints

JIA primarily affects the joints and may cause significant damage. Long term disease can gradually result in deformity, wasting of muscles, tight ligaments, and contractures (permanent shortening of a muscle or tendon making it hard to stretch the area and preventing normal movement.) It can cause bones and joints to grow unevenly causing one limb to be longer than the other.

Eyes

JIA can cause Uveitis (eye inflammation), which often has no symptoms in the initial stages. This complication is seen most frequently in pauciarticular disease, especially in the extending subset. It is associated with the presence of antinuclear antigen (ANA) in the blood tests. Regular monitoring is done to detect early disease in ‘at risk’ children. If not detected and treated, it may lead to scarring of the lens and permanent visual damage (even blindness). Treatment with steroid eye drops often prevents progression of disease.

Jaw

Slower growth may occur in the jaw due to arthritis in the jaw bone (at the temporomandibular joint - TMJ) causing pain and discomfort with chewing as well as headaches. It may also affect dental care and eating habits.

Other effects

Some patients develop inflammation of the lungs (pleuritis) or around the heart (pericarditis) with occasional fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion) or heart (pericardial effusion). Also, inflammation rapidly breaking down red blood cells may lead to anaemia.