Canadian Rheumatology Association Recommendations for the Screening, Monitoring, and Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis

Objective. To develop Canadian recommendations for the screening, monitoring, and treatment of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Methods. Recommendations were developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)-ADOLOPMENT approach. A working group of 14 pediatric rheumatologists, 6 ophthalmologists, 2 methodologists, and 3 caregiver/patient representatives reviewed recent American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Arthritis Foundation (AF) recommendations and worked in pairs to develop evidence-to-decision (EtD) tables. A survey to assess agreement and recommen-dations requiring group discussion was completed. EtD tables were presented, discussed, and voted upon at a virtual meeting, to produce the final recommendations. A health equity framework was applied to all aspects of the adolopment process including the EtD tables, survey responses, and virtual meeting discussion.Results. The survey identified that 7 of the 19 recommendations required rigorous discussion. Seventy-five percent of working group members attended the virtual meeting to discuss controversial topics as they per-tained to the Canadian environment, including timing to first eye exam, frequency of screening, escalation criteria for systemic and biologic therapy, and the role of nonbiologic therapies. Equity issues related to access to care and advanced therapeutics across Canadian provinces and territories were highlighted. Following the virtual meeting, 5 recommendations were adapted, 2 recommendations were removed, and 1 was developed de novo.Conclusion. Recommendations for JIA-associated uveitis were adapted to the Canadian context by a working group of pediatric rheumatologists, ophthalmologists with expertise in the management of uveitis, and parent/patient input, taking into consideration cost, equity, and access.

Automated summary

The objective of this study was to develop Canadian recommendations for the screening, monitoring, and treatment of uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The study used the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach and involved a working group of healthcare professionals and patient representatives who reviewed existing recommendations and developed evidence-based recommendations specific to the Canadian context. The recommendations were generated through a survey, online discussions, and a virtual meeting.