Interdisciplinary guidelines for the treatment of children with osteoarthritis of the jaw

Interdisciplinary guidelines for the treatment of children with osteoarthritis of the jaw

Interdisciplinary guidelines to optimize the treatment of childhood arthritis at a global level. To date, there are no consistent guidelines for the treatment of arthritis of the jaw, a potentially debilitating consequence of juvenile arthritis.

Doctors around the world do not know how best to treat arthritis of the jaw, which is a common and serious consequence of juvenile arthritis.

Now a team of researchers from Aarhus University, working with experts from a wide range of international professional groups, has developed a set of interdisciplinary guidelines to optimize the treatment of patients with the disease.

The guidelines have a particular focus on early detection and screening and can benefit children around the world, said Peter Stoustrup, associate professor at the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health at Aarhus University.

Starting treatment on time leads to a better treatment result. If left untreated, arthritis of the jaw can cause major problems in adulthood, but treatment of the condition has been significantly delayed due to uncertainty among health professionals and health systems, making this study important for all children with jaw arthritis.

Peter Stoustrup, Associate Professor, Institute of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University

Complicated joint – complicated treatment

Around 1,500 children in Denmark are diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, which often leads to inflammation of the temporomandibular joint. This leads to pain, reduced joint function and impaired facial growth, which in severe cases can lead to sleep apnea and a need for surgical treatment of the patient's jaw.

To date, it has proven difficult to find an effective treatment for arthritis of the jaw because it is a complicated joint and optimal treatment requires the involvement of many different groups of healthcare professionals, including radiologists, pediatric rheumatologists, physical therapists, and oral surgeons and orthodontists.

But now a group of experts from these disciplines has come together to develop common recommendations and guidelines for interdisciplinary collaboration in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the jaw.

"Health systems are organized differently around the world and the treatments offered have therefore been somewhat haphazard. Now guidelines have been created for optimal collaboration in the treatment of this disease, which can, but also, guide the treatment of the individual patient." “help health systems organize themselves in such a way that this interdisciplinary treatment approach is possible,” explains Peter Stoustrup.

The new recommendations and guidelines are based on the knowledge and evidence available in this area.

The study on which the guideline is based serves as a basis for further research and information work, and the guideline is revised as new findings arise.

Of great value in countries without health insurance

In Aarhus, the interdisciplinary treatment approach has been common practice for several years, and researchers from Aarhus University were therefore the driving force behind the development of the guidelines in this area.

With the present recommendations, says Peter Bangsgaard Stoustrup, it will be easier to set up centers that provide multidisciplinary treatments for children and adolescents with arthritis of the jaw.

This is particularly valuable for patients in countries without statutory health insurance - for example the USA.

"We have on board centers such as Boston Children's Hospital and hospitals in Atlanta and Calgary that are implementing the organizational and interdisciplinary approach we propose to this treatment. We hope this can inspire other centers," says Peter Bangsgaard Stoustrup.

Source:

Aarhus University

Reference:

Stoustrup, P., et al. (2022) Management of orofacial manifestations of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Interdisciplinary consensus-based recommendations. Arthritis & Rheumatology. doi.org/10.1002/art.42338.

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