Epidemiological studies on rheumatic diseases in children and adolescents

Rheumatic diseases are generally regarded as diseases of older people, however, children and adolescents can also suffer from such conditions. Chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases affect at least 20,000 children and adolescents in Germany. These diseases include chronic joint inflammation (such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis [JIA]), connective tissue diseases (collagenosis, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, scleroderma), primary chronic vascular inflammation (vasculitis, such as polyarteriitis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis) and autoinflammatory diseases (such as periodic fever syndromes FMF, TRAPS, CAPS). In the long run, an early diagnosis and proper treatment is crucial in preventing permanent joint or organ damage, and to maintain the quality of life for young people suffering from rheumatic disease

Nationwide cohort studies as the basis of our research