Childhood arthritis is a chronic disabling disease. New medications called biologic therapies are now available to treat arthritis that target key biologic molecules that cause inflammation. Biologic therapies, while very effective in treating arthritis in children, may have serious side effects including infections and potentially cancers, and are very expensive and doctors don't know, which one to choose for which child. The investigators will develop tests that enable them to learn about the biology of each child's arthritis and be able to predict when and which biologic therapy to start and when to stop.
≤18 years*
Active objective arthritis suspected to be JIA or diagnosed with JIA within 6 months of enrolment
Treatment naïve except for NSAIDs, allowed to have received NSAIDS within 6 months of diagnosis
JIA diagnosis as per ILAR criteria (all subtypes)
Arthritis explained by another diagnosis
Joint injections as previous treatment less than 4 weeks prior to enrollment
Arthritis explained by any other cause
Start on biologics as an indication for uveitis only
The Hospital for Sick Children
Lead sponsor
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Collaborator
Genome Canada
Collaborator
Genome Alberta
Collaborator
The Arthritis Society, Canada
Collaborator
ReumaNederland
Collaborator
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Collaborator
Alberta Children's Hospital
Collaborator
Ontario Genomics
Collaborator