Visual Function And Quality Of Life In A Cohort Of Swedish Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Rezhna Taha; Maria Papadopoulou; Madeleine Zetterberg; Solveig Oskarsdottir; Marita Andersson Grönlund

doi:10.2147/OPTH.S202486

Visual Function And Quality Of Life In A Cohort Of Swedish Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Clin Ophthalmol. 2019 Oct 24:13:2081-2091. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S202486. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Rezhna Taha¹, Maria Papadopoulou^{1

2}, Madeleine Zetterberg^{1

2}, Solveig Oskarsdottir³, Marita Andersson Grönlund^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Forty children with a mean age of 7.9 years were included. The children underwent an ophthalmological examination and completed questionnaires on physical function (CHAQ) and vision-related (VR) QoL (EYE-Q).

Results: No differences regarding visual acuity (VA), refraction, intraocular pressure or physical or VRQoL were found between those with JIA without (n=33) and those with JIA-associated uveitis (n=7). When comparing physical function measured by CHAQ disability index and JIA subtype, a difference was found; children with polyarthritis scored the worst (p=0.0098). Children with subnormal VA scored worse on EYE-Q compared with those with normal VA (p=0.013). We found correlations between duration of JIA and CHAQ disability index (r=-0.42, p=0.0007) and CHAQ well-being (r=-0.34, p=0.022).

Conclusion: This study indicates the importance of measuring not only physical function but also VRQoL in children with JIA and JIA-associated uveitis.

Keywords: PROM; child arthritis; juvenile idiopathic arthritis; quality of life; uveitis.