Interleukin 18 as a marker of disease activity and severity in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (original) (raw)

The Journal of rheumatology, 2007

Abstract

To verify the importance of interleukin 18 (IL-18) in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We measured IL-18 levels in synovial fluid (SF) and serum, and determined their correlation with measures of disease activity and severity. Fifty patients with JIA (13 systemic, 13 polyarticular, 24 oligoarticular) and 25 matched controls were analyzed. Cytokine levels (IL-1beta, IL-1Ra, IL-6, and IL-18) were quantified in serum and SF by ELISA, and disease activity measures were evaluated immediately after knee articular puncture. Radiological assessment was made according to the Steinbrocker method. Statistical analysis was performed by Spearman's rank-order correlation and Mann-Whitney rank test. All the analyzed cytokine levels (IL-1, IL-1Ra, IL-6, and IL-18) were higher in patients' sera than in controls. Remarkably, in patients with JIA, IL-18 SF levels did not differ from those of serum; they were positively correlated. The levels of IL-18 (SF and serum) were...

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