Is measurement of IgM and IgA rheumatoid factors (RF) in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis clinically useful?
The prevalence and clinical relevance of IgM and IgA RF detected by ELISA were studied in 91 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and 45 healthy children. IgM and IgA RF were detected, respectively, in 33 and 44% of the patients, compared to 6.7 and 15.6% of the healthy children (p = 0.001 and 0.0006, respectively). The frequency of IgM RF was significantly higher in patients with polyarticular (52%) as compared to systemic onset JRA (21%; p = 0.04). Five out of ninety-one patients and none of the control group were IgM RF positive by the latex test. High levels of IgM RF were detected more frequently in patients with active disease (p = 0.01) and positive latex agglutination test (p < 0.001) and had a marginally significant association with severe radiological deformities (p = 0.05). The presence of IgA RF was associated with active disease in polyarticular onset JRA children (p = 0.04). In conclusion, high levels of IgM RF and the detection of IgA RF can be useful in assessing clinical activity in a subset of patients with JRA.
Ferreira
Rosa A
RA
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP: 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
Silva
Carlos H M
CH
Silva
Deise A O
DA
Sopelete
Monica C
MC
Kiss
Maria H B
MH
Mineo
Jose R
JR
Ferriani
Virginia P L
VP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor