title: Pediatric Lyme arthritis: clinical spectrum and outcome.
abstract: A cohort of children with Lyme arthritis was used to evaluate the clinical and serologic profile of the disease. During a 42-month period (June 1989 to December 1991), 44 patients (13 girls and 31 boys, ages 4-18 years) were included and followed for 6-36 months. Inclusion required the presence of arthritis, as well as positive serology. Thirty-four children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthropathy were used as a serologic comparison group. Five different patterns of arthritis were found. Preceding erythema migrans was seen in seven children. Antinuclear antibodies were positive in 30% of the patients. Three treatments were used and selected according to physician preference, patient age, and presence of extraarticular disease: amoxicillin, doxycycline, and ceftriaxone. Articular disease reached complete resolution in all patients within 2-12 weeks. Lyme arthritis in children may mimic other pediatric arthritides. Prognosis for children with clearly defined Lyme arthritis was excellent.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Alfred I. duPont Institute, Wilmington, Delaware 19899.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Fawcett
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Eppes
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibney
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Doughty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents