Publication Details
Abstract
Idiopathic arthritis in early childhood represents a clinically and diagnostically challenging problem in modern pediatric rheumatology. Despite the relatively low prevalence of the disease in infants, early manifestation is associated with a severe course, a high risk of systemic complications, and impaired physical development. The article presents current data on the frequency of idiopathic arthritis in children during the first year of life, epidemiological features, genetic and immunopathogenetic mechanisms, as well as risk factors and diagnostic difficulties. International and regional studies demonstrating variability in prevalence rates are analyzed. The necessity of standardizing diagnostic criteria and establishing national registries to improve the accuracy of epidemiological assessment is emphasized.