TY - JOUR T1 - Growth Velocity and Interleukin 6 Concentrations in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 2265 LP - 2271 DO - 10.3899/jrheum.080199 VL - 35 IS - 11 AU - LETÍCIA S. SOUZA AU - SANDRA H. MACHADO AU - CLAITON V. BRENOL AU - JOÃO CARLOS T. BRENOL AU - RICARDO M. XAVIER Y1 - 2008/11/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/11/2265.abstract N2 - Objective To evaluate associations of growth velocity with inflammatory markers and cumulative dose of glucocorticoid in a cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) followed during 1 year. Methods Seventy-nine patients were evaluated. Disease activity was evaluated by a pediatric rheumatologist. Anthropometric data were classified according to the World Health Organization standards. Tanner growth velocity curves were used; values below the Z-score≤ −2 were considered low growth velocity. Serum concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA, and values > 1 pg/ml were considered elevated. Results The prevalence of low growth velocity was 25.3%, and it was associated with active disease on followup visit, elevated IL-6, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, and higher cumulative glucocorticoid doses. In the multiple linear regression with growth velocity as the dependent variable, only elevated IL-6 level was independently and negatively associated with growth velocity. Conclusion Low growth velocity is highly prevalent in children with JIA. Elevated IL-6 levels seem to have an important negative influence on growth in these children, while total glucocorticoid exposure appears to be a secondary factor. ER -