Children with autoinflammatory disease - cellulära och molekylära mekanismer

Research Project, 2012 –

Children with autoinflammatory diseases suffer from repeated episodes of unexplained fever and/or other symptoms which are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. These patients are treated accordingly, many times with repeated courses of antibiotics, before (sometimes) being referred to the specialized care by pediatric rheumatologists and immunologists. If non-adequately treated, patients may develop renal amyloidosis with end-stage renal failure as a result. The clinical situation has substantial psychosocial consequences, as symptoms as well as uncertainty in diagnosis and treatment brings stress to both patient and his/her family. Often, these patients lose trust in the health care system.
Our overall aim with this project is to approach pediatric autoinflammatory diseases on several fronts with the ultimate goal to contribute to improved care, diagnosis, and treatment of these patients in order to decrease suffering and disability, and to ease the life situation for the family.