Preliminary data on insulin sensitivity in non-obese prepubertal children affected by juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases in childhood. In adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis there is large body of evidence supporting the presence of insulin resistance (IR) mainly linked to the underlying inflammation; severity and duration of the disease influence insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus.