ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOLING OUTCOMES OF CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS

M. Ghali, D. Khalifa, M. Cheour, R. Fakhfakh, N. El Amri, K. Baccouch, E. BouajinaFarhat Hached Hospital, Rheumatology, Sousse, Tunisia  Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common inflammatory arthropathy in childhood. It can often be disabling, have an impact on the child’s integration, and affect school attendance to varying degrees. Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the impact of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on children’s educational outcomes. Methods This is a cross-sectional monocentric study including school-age children with JIA diagnosed according to the International League of Associations of Rheumatology (ILAR) classification criteria. Data were collected for all children on their school level, school difficulties, attendance, and absenteeism. Academic failure was defined by either dropping out of school or grade retention. To evaluate disease activity we used the Disease activity score (DAS-28) for oligoarticular and polyarticular forms, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score for axial forms. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (C-HAQ) was used to assess functional disability. Results Thirty-six patients were enrolled. The average age was 13.5 ± 5.9 with a female percentage of 55.6 %. The polyarticular form was the most frequent (52.8%) meanly seronegative, followed by the Oligoarticular form (13.9%), then the enthesitis-related form (12.4%). None of our patients was illiterate. Eight children (22.2%) dropped out of school because of their functional disability. Students with JIA who attended school had an absenteeism rate of 67.8%. Slightly more than half of the JIA patients (57.1%) failed at least one grade. Academic failure was associated with a high disease activity (p=0.003), the presence of joint deformities (p=0.002), a high C-HAQ score (p=0.01), and an erythrocyte sedimentation rate: ESR ≥100 mm/h (p=0.02). The absenteeism rate was associated with rural origin (p=0.004), pain level (p=0.02), high disease activity (p=0.01), hip involvement (p=0.001), and a high C-HAQ score (p=0.03). Conclusion Our study shows that the schooling of children with JIA was negatively influenced by this disease. Proper control of the disease activity and inflammation will guarantee better school attendance and increase academic performance. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests None Declared. Keywords: Education, Patient reported outcomes, Inflammatory arthritides DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2023-eular.5972Citation: , volume 82, supplement 1, year 2023, page 679Session: Paediatric rheumatology (Poster View)