Increased relapse rate during COVID‐19 lockdown in an Italian cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Naddei, Roberta; Alfani, Renata; Bove, Martina; Discepolo, Valentina; Mozzillo, Filomena; Guarino, Alfredo; Alessio, Maria

OBJECTIVES: Changes of routine disease management associated with COVID‐19 lockdown might have potentially affected the clinical course of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Aim of our study was to assess the rate of disease flare before and during COVID‐19 lockdown to investigate its impact on disease course in JIA children. METHODS: A single‐center retrospective study was conducted, including patients presenting inactive JIA between September 1(st), 2018 and March 9(th), 2019 (group A) and between September 1(st), 2019 and March 9(th), 2020 (group B). For each patient, demographic and clinical data were collected. The rate of JIA flare from March 10(th), 2019 to June 30(th), 2019 for group A and from March 10(th), 2020 to June 30(th), 2020 for group B was compared. RESULTS: Group A included 126 patients and group B 124 patients. Statistical analysis did not show significant differences among the two cohorts with respect to age, sex, age of JIA onset, JIA subtype, co‐occurrence of uveitis, ANA positivity and past or ongoing medications. The rate of disease flare during lockdown at time of first COVID‐19 pandemic wave, was significantly higher in comparison to the previous year (16.9% vs 6.3%, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that COVID‐19 lockdown was associated with a higher rate of joint inflammation in JIA children. This finding has a considerable clinical implication, since restrictive measures may be necessary in order to contain pandemics. Our data highlight the need for rearrangement in the home and healthcare management of JIA children during lockdowns.