PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - LETÍCIA S. SOUZA
AU  - SANDRA H. MACHADO
AU  - CLAITON V. BRENOL
AU  - JOÃO CARLOS T. BRENOL
AU  - RICARDO M. XAVIER
TI  - Growth Velocity and Interleukin 6 Concentrations in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.080199
DP  - 2008 Nov 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 2265--2271
VI  - 35
IP  - 11
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/11/2265.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/11/2265.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2008 Nov 01; 35
AB  - 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.