[Evaluation of some inflammatory and immune parameters in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis during the acute phase and in...

A serologic study was carried out in 27 children.-- 12 females and 15 males -- affected with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), systemic and polyarticular type, in active phase and in remission. Beside the routine assays (ESR and haemometry), a dosage of serum immunoglobulins (IgA, M, G) and complement components (C3 and C4) was carried out; antinuclear antibodies with immunofluorescence, rheumatoid factors with classical method (latex test and Waaler-Rose reaction) and antigamma factors (AGGF) according to modified Schur's method were looked for. Polymorphonuclear function was assayed employing NBT test, phagocytosis and killing with Klebsiella. The results confirmed that the most reliable activity index is the ESR, while the WBC count is move variable and that the rheumatoid factors according to the usual techniques are almost always absent. As a whole, in JRA the levels of IgM, IgG, IgM-AGGF, C4 assayed higher than in controls. In the different subgroups, the systemic disease is characterized by higher serum IgA and IgG-AGFF. The PMN function was globally normal.