A pilot study of serum calprotectin ability to be a potential biomarker of erosive course juvenile arthritis

Abstract

Background: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic arthritis in children. There is no reliable laboratory test for JIA. Some researchers have reported that the serum level of calprotectin may be correlated with arthritis activity.
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of serum calprotectin in predicting the erosive course of JIA.
Methods: Level of serum calprotectin (sCal) was evaluated in 70 children with JIA (50 active JIA / 20 inactive JIA) and 20 adolescents with non-rheumatic joint disease. In comparison the serum level of IL6, TNF-alpha, vimentin were assessed.
Results: sCal level was higher in patients with active erosive course JIA (R2 = 0.4159, T = 4.336, OR erosive JIA = 3.3193, 95%CI 1,7006-6.4789, p=0.0079). Serum level of vimentin, IL6 and TNFalpha were not always correlated with active stage JA and erosive joint damage (p>0,05). The ROC analysis of the sCalc showed that a cut-off point more of 2,9 μg/ml may be high prognostic factor for related erosive JIA (AUC 0,837±0,0553, 95%CI 0,711-0.923).
Conclusions: The serum levels of calprotectin are significantly associated with erosive course of JIA. These results suggest that calprotectin might be superior to serum IL6 and TNF-α for aggressive erosive course of JIA.