The Role of Diet, as Mediated by the Gut Microbiome, on Childhood Arthritis Disease Activity: a Feasibility Intervention Study

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether a diet based on the Mediterranean Diet principles can improve disease activity in children with juvenile arthritis and how it may change the gut microbiome. The study focuses on children aged 8 to 18 years diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, excluding some specific types. The goal is to see if this approach is feasible and to provide knowledge for designing a larger, multinational study on diet and arthritis outcomes in children. Participants will follow the Mediterranean Diet for 8 weeks, with an option to extend to 12 weeks. This diet emphasizes plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, with moderate intake of poultry, dairy, and eggs, and limited sweets and red meats. The study involves only this diet intervention without a comparison group. Over the course of the study, participants will provide stool and blood samples and complete health and diet questionnaires at the start, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Clinicians will assess disease activity at these times. Researchers will measure changes in the microbiome, arthritis disease activity, functional status, quality of life, and inflammation, alongside monitoring diet adherence and tolerability. The study aims to last up to 12 weeks with close participant involvement in assessments and sample collection.

Feasibility of a Diet Intervention for Juvenile Arthritis