Print

Purpose

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatologic disease in children. The main symptoms of JIA, which are often the primary focus of treatment, include joint swelling, stiffness, and tenderness. Additional symptoms can include malaise, fatigue, and pain. However, the exact mechanisms contributing to pain are not yet fully understood. Participants will complete a 2.5-hours study session. In the study session, psychophysical assessments of thermal and pressure stimuli will be performed. In addition, demographic, social, pubertal maturation, and behavioral and psychological factors will be collected via questionnaires. A saliva sample and/or blood draw may occur for the analysis of various immune factors and sex hormones. If a joint aspiration is done as part of their standard of care, we will request a sample of the synovial fluid for analyses of immune, hormonal and/or genetic factors. Participants will have the option to participate in additional optional follow-up study visits (every 3 months, up to 1 year) and to complete monthly surveys asking about their juvenile arthritis.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 9 Years and 17 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  1. Age between 9-17 2. Males and females 3. English speakers 4. Able to complete surveys and understand study instructions 5. Juvenile arthritis group: diagnosed or suspected of juvenile arthritis 6. Control group: healthy

Exclusion Criteria

  1. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 2. (Control Group) Diagnosed with a chronic pain condition 3. (Control Group) Diagnosed with psychiatric condition including ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Non-Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Other
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Other
JIA 		Inclusion: 1. Age between 9-17 2. Males and females 3. English speakers 4. Able to complete surveys and understand study instructions 5. Diagnosed or suspected of juvenile arthritis Exclusion Criteria Participants will not be enrolled if any of the following criteria exist and based on the investigator discretion: 1. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 2. (Control Group) Diagnosed with a chronic pain condition 3. (Control Group) Diagnosed with psychiatric condition including ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc.
  • Behavioral: Pressure pain thresholds (measured in kilopascal)
    Pressure will be increased continually and participants will be instructed to press a button the first moment they feel pain from the pressure stimulus. The first threshold measurement will be used as a familiarization. The average threshold is calculated from three measurements. Higher value indicates lower experimental pain sensitivity
  • Behavioral: Cold pain tolerance (duration in seconds)
    Cold pain tolerance will be assessed by having participants immerse their hand or foot in a cold (4-12°C) water bath. Tolerance will be defined by the time of hand withdrawal. Pain ratings of cold pain intensity might be obtained periodically, and both pain intensity and pain unpleasantness will be recorded upon hand/foot withdrawal. Higher value indicates lower experimental pain sensitivity
Other
Controls 		Inclusion: 1. Age between 9-17 2. Males and females 3. English speakers 4. Able to complete surveys and understand study instructions 5. Healthy Exclusion Criteria Participants will not be enrolled if any of the following criteria exist and based on the investigator discretion: 1. Pregnancy or breastfeeding 2. (Control Group) Diagnosed with a chronic pain condition 3. (Control Group) Diagnosed with psychiatric condition including ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc.
  • Behavioral: Pressure pain thresholds (measured in kilopascal)
    Pressure will be increased continually and participants will be instructed to press a button the first moment they feel pain from the pressure stimulus. The first threshold measurement will be used as a familiarization. The average threshold is calculated from three measurements. Higher value indicates lower experimental pain sensitivity
  • Behavioral: Cold pain tolerance (duration in seconds)
    Cold pain tolerance will be assessed by having participants immerse their hand or foot in a cold (4-12°C) water bath. Tolerance will be defined by the time of hand withdrawal. Pain ratings of cold pain intensity might be obtained periodically, and both pain intensity and pain unpleasantness will be recorded upon hand/foot withdrawal. Higher value indicates lower experimental pain sensitivity

Recruiting Locations

Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri 63017
Contact:
Hadas Nahman-Averbuch, PhD
314-273-6194
painlab@wustl.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine

Study Contact

Alana McMichael, MA
314-273-6194
painlab@wustl.edu

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.