[Composition of linoleic and arachidonic acids in phosphatidylcholine of erythrocytes membrane and IL-6 and TNF-alpha in serum and C-reactive protein concentration in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis].
The study objective was to determine the relationship, if any, between the levels of arachidonic and linoleic acids in erythrocyte membrane phosphatidylcholine (PCH), serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and TNFalpha levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).


METHODS
The study involved 49 children with JIA, aged 3-18 years (mean 11.3 +/- 3.9), and 29 healthy subjects. The JIA children were divided into 2 groups: group I--24 children (in exacerbation period) with mean CRP level of 15.6 mg/L +/- 13.3 and group II--25 children (in remission period--joint swelling-free) with CRP of 7.8 mg/L +/- 5.8 on average. Lipids were extracted according to a modified Folch's method. Fatty acids in erythrocyte membrane PCH were identified using gas chromatography (Hewlett-Packard 5890). The levels of IL-6 and TNFalpha were determined by ELISA, using Quantikine sets: R&D System (USA), while CRP was measured by nephelometric method on a BN II apparatus (Behring).


RESULTS
We found a significant decrease in the level of linoleic acid (p < 0.05) and a statistically insignificant reduction in arachidonic acid in JIA patients as compared to the controls. The decrease in linoleic acid was more pronounced in the active phase of JIA (p < 0.001. The higher serum CRP level was accompanied by a significantly elevated level of IL 6 (p < 0.05). The concentration of TNFa was elevated, but the difference had no statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of linoleic and arachidonic acids in erythrocyte PCH decreased and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha increased in JIA children in the active phase of the disease. The differences intensified with a rise in CRP.
Górska
Anna
A
2nd Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. klchdz2@cksr.ac.bialystok.pl
Urban
Mirosława
M
Pietrewicz
Edyta
E
Górski
Stanisław
S
D000293:Adolescent; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019787:Linoleic Acid