Internal Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-7235
Print ISSN : 0918-2918
ISSN-L : 0918-2918
REVIEW ARTICLES
Transition of Patients with Childhood-onset Rheumatic Diseases to Adult Medical Care in Japan
Takako MiyamaeYuki Bando
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JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2024 Volume 63 Issue 1 Pages 25-29

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Abstract

Medical advances in childhood-onset chronic diseases (CCDs) have significantly improved the prognosis of these diseases; however, they have also resulted in an increase in the number of cases requiring continued medical care in adulthood. The transition from the pediatric to adult healthcare system has recently received worldwide attention. In Japan, in the last decade, there has been a growing awareness of the transition to adult health care in each specialized chronic disease area with a childhood onset. This review focuses on transitional care in pediatric rheumatology, a CCD. Non-pediatric rheumatology departments, such as rheumatology and orthopedics, are potential counterparts for accepting pediatric rheumatology patients; however, several challenges must be met for a seamless transition to adult care. The characteristics of pediatric rheumatic diseases, which are rarer than non-pediatric rheumatic diseases, and the status and problems in transition will be outlined. The mission of pediatricians is not only to follow up diseases but also to support patients' independence. All medical staff and multidisciplinary professionals must cooperate toward this new goal.

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© 2024 by The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons [Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International] license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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