Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a diagnosis that applies to all forms of arthritis of unknown aetiology, they all have in common a chronic inflammatory process targeting the synovial membranes of the joints. The classification of JIA into categories that are homogeneous is essential to facilitate genetic and immunological studies and to improve the understanding of the pathologic processes underlying the disease. JIA has a substantial impact on the physical and psychological functions of the patients. Therefore, the goals of treatment are disease remission, pain relief, preservation of psychological and physical well-being, and prevention of long-term damage related to either the disease itself or its therapies. The optimal approach for the management of JIA patients is based on a multidisciplinary team. Although we still do not have drugs that are able to completely cure the disease, prognosis has significantly improved due to major progress in therapy. The introduction of biological drugs has dramatically improved the prognosis for children with JIA.
