title: Activation of the haemostatic system in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis correlates with disease activity.
abstract: Twenty-four children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and 10 children with postinfectious arthropathies were investigated for markers of blood coagulation and fibrinolytic activity: Prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and D-Dimer were measured using solid phase enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results were compared with clinical and conventional laboratory signs of disease activity. F1+2, TAT, D-Dimer, and fibrinogen were significantly elevated in children with JRA as compared with healthy children and children with postinfectious arthropathies. F1+2, TAT, and D-Dimer correlated significantly with disease activity, assessed by determination of the joint index score and C-reactive protein (CRP). The study demonstrates a subclinical activation of the haemostatic system in children with JRA correlating with disease activity, which might be caused by the action of several immunomediators on cells (monocytes, endothelial cells) playing a role in the regulation of blood coagulation activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Paediatric Haemostasis and Thrombosis, University of Graz, Austria. Siegfried.gallistl@kfunigraz.ac.at
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallistl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mangge
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Neuwirth
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Muntean
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; C036309:fibrin fragment D; C029733:prothrombin fragment 1; C044183:prothrombin fragment 2; D000990:Antithrombin III; D011516:Prothrombin; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases