Background:Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children. In contrast to adult rheumatoid arthritis, where numerous studies have shown a high prevalence of involvement of the cervical spine, few studies have been published examining this entity in JIA.Objectives:We aimed to analyze clinical and radiological findings of cervical spine involvement in patients with JIA.Methods:A retrospective study including 35 patients was conducted between 2010 and

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... 019. The patients enrolled met the ILAR criteria for the diagnosis of JIA. Clinical, biological, and radiological data were collected. Patients had a radiological evaluation that included cervical spine x-rays in antero-posterior, lateral and lateral views with flexion.Results:Thirty-five patients were enrolled. The mean age of the disease onset was 9 years [3-15]. The mean age of the patients at the time of the study was 37.8 years [17-69]. The mean duration of the disease was 27 years [2-56]. These patients were assigned to discrete JIA categories: rheumatoid factor positive polyarthritis (43.5%), rheumatoid factor negative polyarthritis (21.7%), enthesitis-related arthritis (17.4%), oligoarthritis (13%) and psoriatic arthritis (4.4%). Sixteen patients (45%) reported neck pain. Cervical spine involvement occurred on average 7 years [0-13] after the JIA onset. Cervical spine radiographs showed anterior atlantoaxial subluxation (> 5mm) in 8 patients. Magnetic-resonance imagining was performed in 9 patients that had abnormal neurological examination showing a pannus formation of C1-C2 junction (3 cases), a basilar invagination (4 cases) and erosions of the odontoid process (2 cases). A cervical collar has been used for immobilization in patients with significant cervical spine damage. A C1-C2 arthrodesis was proposed to 4 patients.Conclusion:These findings suggest that the presence of cervical involvement in JIA patients is frequent. Radiologic assessment of cervical spine should be systematically performed for early detection and to prevent its complications.Disclosure of Interests:None declared