title: Diabetes, coeliac disease, multiple sclerosis and chronic arthritis in first-degree relatives of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in first-degree relatives of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to compare the figures with published population data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Families of the 362 children with recently diagnosed JIA admitted to Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Finland, from 1996 to 2001 were contacted by questionnaires regarding autoimmune diseases in family members. Data were collected on type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease, multiple sclerosis and chronic arthritis, consisting mainly of JIA, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy or psoriatic arthritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 21.4% of the 355 families with a patient with JIA had members with type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease, multiple sclerosis or chronic arthritis. Thirty-three mothers and 23 fathers had type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease, multiple sclerosis or chronic arthritis in 15.2% (95% CI 11.6-19.4) of the families, and 23 mothers and 15 fathers had chronic arthritis in 10.7% (95% CI 7.7-14.5) of the families. When compared with available research data, the prevalences of rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, psoriatic arthritis, paediatric type 1 diabetes and JIA (in siblings) were increased in JIA families. Coeliac disease was as prevalent as in the population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune diseases cluster in families with a child with JIA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Päijät-Häme District Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland. heini.pohjankoski@phsotey.fi
authors.forename: Heini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pohjankoski
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kautiainen
authors.forename: Kaisu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotaniemi
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korppi
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Savolainen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult