Prevalence of juvenile chronic arthritis in school children aged 10 to 15 years in Alexandria.

The study was conducted using a cross sectional design to determine the prevalence of Juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) among 10 to 15 years old school children in Alexandria, and to develop (if possible) a tool for screening children for arthritis. The study included 1500 children selected by using a multistage stratified random sample of students enrolled in the primary and preparatory schools in Alexandria Governorate. The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of JCA was 3.3 per 1000. Also a simple tool, composed of some questions, could effectively identify children with JCA. However, clinical examination supported by a history from the child provides the best reliable means of diagnosis. The present study recommended the use of community rather than hospital based surveys for estimating the true prevalence of the disease.