title: Immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and to correlate it with clinical and laboratory parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter prospective study was carried out from January 1993 to January 1999 with the enrollment of 3 centers of pediatric rheumatology. Ninety-one children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were studied: 38 (42%) with systemic, 28 (31%) with pauciarticular, and 25 (27%) with polyarticular onset. Ages ranged from 2.1 years to 22.6 years (mean 10.5 +/- 4.7), with 59 (65%) girls. The control group consisted of 45 healthy children. The detection of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was carried out utilizing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associations of immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor with immunoglobulin M-rheumatoid factor (latex agglutination test), total serum immunoglobulin E, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibody, and functional and radiological classes III or IV were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was found in 15 (16.5%) of the 91 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: 7 (18.5%) with systemic, 5 (18%) with pauciarticular, and 3 (12%) with polyarticular onset. A significant correlation was observed between immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor and total serum immunoglobulin E in the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients. No correlation was found between immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor and positive latex agglutination slide test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antinuclear antibody, or the functional and radiological classes III or IV in any disease onset group. In 4 out of 45 control children (8.9%), immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor was positive but with no correlation with total serum immunoglobulin E levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor could be detected in 16.5% of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients, particularly in those with high levels of total serum immunoglobulin E, and immunoglobulin E-rheumatoid factor appears not to be associated with disease activity or severity.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia.
authors.forename: Rosa Aparecida
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Virgínia Paes Leme
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Ferriani
authors.forename: Mônica Camargo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sopelete
authors.forename: Deise Aparecida Oliveira
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: José Roberto
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mineo
authors.forename: Maria Helena Bittencourt
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique Martins
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor