Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease in childhood. It is regarded as a systemic inflammatory disease with possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to assess carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid stenosis as surrogate measures for CVD in adults with longterm active JIA and healthy age- and sex-matched controls.
Seventy-five patients with JIA (age 28-45 yrs) with persistently active disease at least 15 years after disease onset were reexamined after a median of 29 years and compared with 75 matched controls. Patients and controls were examined by color duplex ultrasound of the carotid arteries to compare carotid IMT and carotid stenosis in the 2 groups.
Patients with JIA did not have increased carotid IMT values compared with the controls (mean ± SD: 0.56 mm ± 0.09 vs 0.58 mm ± 0.07, p = 0.289). Patients with a higher disease activity indicated by the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score value above the median value had increased carotid IMT compared with the patients with a lower value, but not statistically different compared with controls. No carotid stenoses were detected in patients or controls.
We found similar carotid IMT values in adult patients with JIA and controls.