Serum levels of ghrelin, adipokines, and tumor necrosis factor-a (Tnf-a)‎ in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Assuit University Hospitals : relation to nutritional status and disease activity

Abstract EN

Background: In juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) several proinflammatory cytokines are secreted leading to anorexia and weight loss.

Objectives: We aimed to measure serum levels of ghrelin, adipocytokines and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) in JIA patients.

Also, to correlate them with disease activity and patients’ body mass index (BMI).

Patients and methods: Sixty-five patients with JIA (40 girls and 25 boys; means ±SD of age were 12.1 ±3.5 years) and 54 matched healthy controls were evaluated by ELISA to measure levels of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin and TNF-a and correlate these levels with Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (JADAS) and patients’ BMI.

Results: Thirty-four patients (52.3%) had active disease while 31 (47.7%) had inactive disease.

JIA patients had significantly lower level of ghrelin and leptin and significantly higher level of TNF-a than the control group (P 6 0.001, P 6 0.05, P 6 0.001, respectively).

Those with active disease had significantly lower level of ghrelin and significantly higher TNF-a level than those with inactive disease (P 6 0.001, P 6 0.01, respectively).

Significant positive correlations were