Lymphokines and soluble interleukin-2 receptors in juvenile chronic arthritis. Clinical and laboratory correlations

Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon gamma (IFNg) and soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R) were determined in sera from 34 patients with poly- or pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) by use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Levels of sIL-2R were elevated in the group of patients compared with those of healthy children and correlated significantly with several parameters of clinical activity, including the functional capacity, joint score, visual-analogue score and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Serum IL-2 levels were also elevated in the JCA patients, correlating with the patients functional capacity. Serum levels of IFNg were below the detection limit of the assay. Our data supported the notion that T-cell activation plays a role in the immunopathologic processes leading to clinical JCA.