Association between serum inflammatory cytokines and disease activity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Circulating interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), osteocalcin, and conventional parameters of inflammation were examined serially in 14 children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to determine any correlation with the disease activity. Serum IL-1beta was undetectable in all JIA patients. Serum IL-6, white blood cell counts, platelet counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were significantly elevated in the active phase of JIA, whereas hemoglobin levels were significantly lower. Osteocalcin levels were decreased and TNF-alpha increased in active JIA status, but these differences showed no statistical significance. We concluded that inflammatory cytokines play an important role in JIA. Monitoring IL-6 in children with JIA is useful in determining disease activity and response to therapy. These findings confirm earlier reports.
Ou
L S
LS
Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
See
L C
LC
Wu
C J
CJ
Kao
C C
CC
Lin
Y L
YL
Huang
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015675:Osteocalcin