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Inflammatory cytokines in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: effects on physical growth and the insulin-like-growth

S C Wong1, V E MacRae2, J A Gracie3

  • 1Bone and Endocrine Research Group, Department of Child Health, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow G3 8SJ, United Kingdom.

Growth Hormone & IGF Research : Official Journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society
|April 2, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) experiencing mild growth retardation showed reduced levels of ALS and IGFBP-3. Interleukin-5 (IL5) and Interleukin-15 (IL15) were linked to short stature in JIA patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Rheumatology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can impact physical growth.
  • Systemic markers of growth hormone (GH) secretion are crucial for monitoring growth in children.
  • Inflammation is a key feature of JIA and may influence growth and GH secretion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between inflammation markers and physical growth in children with JIA.
  • To examine the association between inflammation markers and systemic markers of GH secretion in JIA.
  • To identify potential predictors of growth impairment in JIA.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional prospective study involving 17 children with JIA undergoing therapeutic arthrocentesis.
  • Classification of patients into oligoarticular JIA (OJIA) and polyarticular JIA (PJIA) groups.
  • Measurement of adjusted height standard deviation score (AHt SDS), serum ALS SDS, IGFBP-3 SDS, IGF-1 SDS, and inflammatory cytokines (IL5, IL15).

Main Results:

  • Children with JIA exhibited a median AHt SDS of -0.3.
  • Reduced serum ALS SDS and IGFBP-3 SDS were observed.
  • Log serum IL5 and IL15 levels were independently associated with AHt SDS, indicating a link to short stature.

Conclusions:

  • Children with JIA and mild growth retardation demonstrate decreased ALS and IGFBP-3 levels.
  • While individual inflammatory cytokines did not associate with systemic GH secretion markers, IL5 and IL15 show a novel, preliminary association with the degree of short stature in JIA.
  • These findings suggest a potential role for specific cytokines in mediating growth impairment in JIA.
Abstract

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