Perinatal events and development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis

Abstract

Uveitis is one of the most common manifestations of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Currently, JIA is associated with decreased gut microbiota diversity. Studies confirm that perinatal events can cause aberrant microbial colonization. The objective of this study is to determine if JIA is associated with perinatal events with a secondary focus on these variables to the development of JIA-uveitis. 369 patients with strabismus (n = 200) or JIA (n = 196) were included in the study. Completed surveys (JIA 37; strabismus 18) collected data about birth route, pregnancy and labor complications, JIA medications, and the presence of eye disorders. Analysis indicates that there is no relationship between JIA development and the perinatal events investigated. Similarly, no significance was found between JIA-uveitis and birth route or labor complications. Pregnancy complications, namely gestational diabetes (GD), were statistically higher in the JIA group with uveitis compared to JIA without uveitis. The data from this survey study showed that JIA-uveitis was highly associated with pregnancy complications, particularly with GD. However, no statistically significant association was found between JIA and route of delivery, labor complications, or pregnancy complications. Further studies are needed to understand the ways that GD interrelates with the development of uveitis in JIA patients.