24th February 2025

Signs and symptoms of JIA

The typical features are swollen, erythematous, stiff, painful joints and entheses, associated with a reduced range of movement. In order to reach the diagnostic threshold, one or more joints must be involved for more than six weeks. Sometimes, there are systemic features such as fever and rash.

Clearly, there is overlap with other differential diagnoses, including reactive and septic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteomyelitis, Kawasaki disease, Lyme disease, tuberculosis, SLE and even haematological malignancies such as leukaemia, lymphoma or sarcoma, which need appropriate work up. Red flags would include systemic upset, significant weight loss, headaches, unremitting pain of a non-mechanical nature, pain at night, significant gait disturbance, neurological signs or symptoms and overlying skin changes, including petechiae.