The genetics of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: current understanding and future prospects.

Abstract

Understanding the genetic risk of JIA, a relatively rare chronic disease, is a challenging task, but recent research in this field has shown great advances. This review summarizes the current understanding of the genetic architecture of JIA susceptibility and proposes where this work is heading in the coming years. Insights into how we might progress this relatively understudied field will be provided, highlighting how the field will move towards the ultimate goals of predicting long-term disease outcomes at onset, predicting drug response, and move towards more targeted treatment options for children with JIA.