AUTHOR=Liao Li-Chin , Fu Yi-Hsiu , Chuang Chieh-Mao , Liao Pei-Lun , Wei James Cheng-Chung , Fu Yun-Ching 

TITLE=Impact of Kawasaki disease on juvenile idiopathic arthritis in real-world patients: A population-based cohort study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1025553

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.1025553

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Objectives
Recent research has demonstrated the commonality of several biological markers between Kawasaki disease and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), including interleukin-1β and -6. Therefore, in this cohort study, we assessed whether Kawasaki disease increases the risk of JIA.

Methods
This study enrolled 7009 patients with and 56 072 individuals without Kawasaki disease in the period 2010–2018 from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. On the basis of sex, age, and comorbidities, we executed propensity score matching at the ratio 1:8. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for JIA was determined through multiple Cox regression. Stratified analysis and sensitivity tests were also employed. 

Results 
When adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities, the JIA risk was noted to be 2.02-fold greater in children with Kawasaki disease than it was in those without (aHR: 2.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.12–3.67, p = 0.0205). The sensitivity test and subgroup analysis obtained consistent findings in the different sex and comorbidity subgroups. 

Conclusion 
Children's risk of JIA is higher if they have Kawasaki disease. Pediatricians should consider the possibility of JIA in this population. More investigations are necessary to identify the pathological mechanisms that link JIA and Kawasaki disease.