Tema Livre:

To determine the influence of parental smoking in disease activity in a low-income juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) cohort

Materials and methods

89 JIA patients followed in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, were cross-sectionally evaluated from May 2015 to April 2016. Parental smoking was obtained by interviewing mothers.

Results

Mean age was 14.6±5.2 years with 10.31±3.7 years disease duration. Polyarticular category predominated, with 39 (44%) patients, followed by 22 (24%) oligoarticular, and 16 (18%) enthesitis-related (ERA). Forty-five (61%) were receiving methotrexate isolated or combined to leflunomide, which was used by 12 (16%); 29 (32.5%) were on biologic DMARD with 15 (52%) etanercept, 8 (27%) adalimumab, 3 (10%) tocilizumab and 1 (3.4%) each on infliximab, abatacept, and canakinumab. Mean(SD) CHAQ and JADAS27 were 0.38 ± 0.56 and 4.98 ± 6.19, respectively. No family declared monthly income over US$ 900.00. Most mothers (83%) were never smokers. JADAS27, CHAQ scores and prevalence of joint deformities were similar in patients exposed to parental smoking, regardless of second hand smoking. There were more smokers in families with parents with less than 8 years literacy.

Conclusion

This is a low-income JIA cohort with mild mean disease activity with the highest reported prevalence of never smoking mothers. Exposure to indoor secondhand smoking did not influence disease activity in this JIA cohort.