Phenotypic Variability and Disparities in Treatment and Outcomes of Childhood Arthritis Throughout the World: Results from the EPOCA Study

Background: The characteristics and burden of childhood arthritis have never been studied on a worldwide basis. We aimed to investigate prevalence of disease categories, treatment modalities and disease status across different geographic areas. Methods: International paediatric rheumatologists were asked to enrol a consecutive sample of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Each patient underwent retrospective and cross-sectional assessments, including parent-reported outcomes. Level of disease activity and damage were correlated with wealth of the country, expressed as gross domestic product per capita. Findings: Between 2011 and 2016, 9,081 patients were enrolled at 130 centres in …