Interdisciplinary guidelines to optimize the treatment of childhood arthritis at global level

So far, there no uniform guidelines have existed for the treatment of arthritis of the jaw, a potentially debilitating consequence of juvenile arthritis.

Doctors around the world lack insight into how best to treat arthritis of the jaw, which is a frequent and serious consequence of juvenile arthritis.

Now, a team of researchers from Aarhus University, in collaboration with experts from a wide range of international professional groups, have developed a set of interdisciplinary guidelines to optimise the treatment of patients with the disease.

The guidelines have a special focus on early diagnosis and screening, and they can benefit children all over the world, according to Peter Stoustrup, associate professor at Department of Dentistry and Oral Health at Aarhus University.

“A more timely initiation of treatment will result in a better treatment outcome. Untreated, arthritis of the jaw can cause major problems in adulthood, but treatment of the condition has lagged considerably due to uncertainty among health professionals and health systems, so this study is important for all children with jaw arthritis,” he says.

Complicated joint — complicated treatment

Around 1,500 children in Denmark have a diagnosis of juvenile arthritis, which often results in inflammation of the jaw joint. This leads to pain, reduced joint function, and growth disruption in the face, which in severe cases may give rise to sleep apnoea and a need for surgical treatment of the patient’s jaw.

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