investigations

Last reviewed 01/2018

These include:

• urgent eye screening and risk assessment to identify cases of uveitis
• full blood count - children with systemic disease and longstanding polyarthritis often have microcytic hypochromic anaemia. In the early stages a neutrophil leucocytosis may be seen.
• ESR - generally raised.
• positive antinuclear antibody - especially in pauciarticular JCA.
• rheumatoid factor positive - rare except in late onset polyarticular disease.
• HLA B27 - may be found to be positive; especially in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.