Related Experiment Videos
Prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in juvenile chronic arthritis
R Caporali1, A Ravelli, F De Gennaro
1Institute of Medical Pathology, University of Pavia, Italy.
Insights
Anticardiolipin antibodies are more prevalent in children with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) than in adults with rheumatoid arthritis. The study found no correlation with clinical factors or anticardiolipin syndrome in JCA patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) are associated with autoimmune conditions.
- Their prevalence in pediatric rheumatic diseases like juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) requires further investigation.
- Understanding aCL presence in JCA can offer insights into disease mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in children with JCA.
- To compare aCL prevalence in JCA patients with adult rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls.
- To explore potential correlations between aCL and clinical/laboratory findings in JCA.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies using serological assays.
- Inclusion of 70 children with JCA, 25 adult RA patients, 42 healthy children, and 40 adult controls.
- Analysis of clinical and laboratory variables in JCA patients.
Main Results:
- A higher prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies (53% for IgG/IgM, 43% for IgG) was observed in JCA patients compared to adult RA patients (28% for IgG/IgM, 16% for IgG).
- Anticardiolipin antibodies were absent in all adult and child control groups, except for low levels of IgM aCL in some controls.
- No significant correlations were found between anticardiolipin antibody presence/titers and clinical or laboratory variables in JCA patients.
- No patients exhibited features of the anticardiolipin syndrome.
Conclusions:
- Anticardiolipin antibodies are frequently detected in children with JCA, suggesting a potential role in this pediatric rheumatic disease.
- The prevalence differs significantly between JCA and adult rheumatoid arthritis.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the clinical significance and implications of anticardiolipin antibodies in JCA.
Abstract:
The prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies was evaluated in 70 children with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), in 25 adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in 42 healthy children and in 40 adult controls. Thirty seven (53%) patients with JCA were positive for IgG or IgM anticardiolipin antibodies, or both, and 30 (43%) for IgG anticardiolipin antibodies. In contrast, only seven (28%) adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis presented anticardiolipin antibodies, which were of IgG class in four (16%) cases. IgG anticardiolipin antibodies were negative in all control subjects while IgM anticardiolipin antibodies were detected in two (5%) children and in four (10%) adult controls. No correlations were found in patients with JCA between the presence or titres of anticardiolipin antibodies and various clinical or laboratory variables. No patient with anticardiolipin antibodies showed any feature of the anticardiolipin syndrome.