Lipoprotein cholesterol fractions are related to markers of inflammation in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a cross sectional study.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the study is to determine levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density, and high-density lipoprotein fractions of cholesterol (LDLc and HDLc), in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and relate those to disease activity, overweight, and physical activity (PA), testing the hypothesis that the levels of cholesterol fractions are associated with inflammation as well as with overweight and low PA.


METHODS
Two hundred ten patients with JIA were included in this descriptive cross-sectional study. TC, LDLc, HDLc were measured, and associations with clinical disease activity (JADAS27), biomarkers of inflammation (myelo-related protein complex 8/14 (MRP8/14), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WtH ratio), and PA were explored.


RESULTS
Mean values for TC, LDLc, and HDLc in the patients were within the normal range for Danish Children. HDLc was negatively correlated with MRP8/14 (r = -0.343, CI -0.474 to -0.201, p < 0.0005) but was not related to overweight or PA. Neither TC nor LDLc showed any association with inflammation, overweight, or PA. MRP8/14 correlated positively with CRP, JADAS27 and WtH ratio (r = 0.277, CI 0.142 to 0.413, p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Levels of cholesterol fractions in patients with JIA were found within the normal range. Nonetheless, the level of HDLc was negatively associated with the level of the inflammatory marker MRP8/14, which is in accordance with the concept of inflammation as an important driver for premature development of atherosclerosis in JIA. WtH ratio (a measure of central fatness) was not associated to HDLc, but to MRP8/14, suggestive of central fatness as an additional driving factor for the chronic inflammation in JIA.
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Naestved Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Afs. 7821, Copenhagen N, Denmark. anna-helene.bohr@regionh.dk.|JMC Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. anna-helene.bohr@regionh.dk.
Anna-Helene
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2714-8454
AH
Bohr
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Freddy Karup
FK
Pedersen
Institute for Inflammation Research. Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Claus Henrik
CH
Nielsen
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.|Institute for Inflammation Research. Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Klaus Gottlob
KG
Müller
D000293:Adolescent; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D008727:Methotrexate
BMI; Cholesterol-fractions; HDL-cholesterol; JIA; Juvenile chronic arthritis; LDL- cholesterol; MRP8/14; Premature atherosclerosis; Waist-to-height ratio