What's in a Name? That Which We Call JIA, by Any Other Name, Would It Still Be the Same Childhood Arthritis?

Disease classification remains one of the great debates in rheumatology. The age-old question of being a lumper or a splitter is now complicated by the principles underlying precision health, where the aim is for a solution tailored to each individual, technically making every person unique and their own subgroup. Continuing debate swirls over classification and nomenclature in childhood arthritis. This article will provide an unapologetically Canadian lens to the debate and highlight discussions from the recent Dunlop-Dottridge Lectureship at the 2023 Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting.

Automated summary

The debate on disease classification in rheumatology continues, further complicated by the principles of precision health. This article provides a Canadian perspective on the classification and nomenclature of childhood arthritis.