Abstract
Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is considered a significant cause of disability. International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) classification for JIA has limited diagnostic biomarker consideration.14-3-3 Eta is a novel biomarker could lessen diagnostic delay and ultimately improve outcomes.
Aim of work: Assessment of serum 14-3-3 Eta as a potential new biomarker for juvenile idiopathic arthritis diagnosis.
Patients and methods: Fifty JIA patients fulfilling the ILAR classification criteria(1) were included in a case-control study, and classified into three groups: polyarticular JIA (PJIA n = 20), oligoarticular JIA (OJIA n = 20), and systemic-onset JIA (SJIA n = 10), and twenty healthy children as a control group. The juvenile arthritis disease activity score (JADAS 27) (2), CHAQ (Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire) (3), 14–3-3η protein, RF, and Anti-CCP levels were measured for all cases.
Results: JIA patients mean age (11.80±2.75) and for healthy children (5.55±3.38). Elevated 14-3-3 η levels were higher in Polyarticular JIA (median 27.7 ng/ml) followed by OJIA and SOJIA (median 22.03 ng/ml), in which the 14-3-3η level in healthy children (median 0.9 ng/ml) was the lowest. In JIA patients, there was a significant positive relation between serum 14-3-3η protein with RF and Anti-CCP (p values = 0.034 and 0.040, respectively), also a positive correlation between serum 14-3-3 eta (ng/ml) level and CHAQ with no correlation with JADAS 27.
Conclusion: JIA patients had significantly more serum 14-3-3 η proteins than healthy individuals, and positively linked with RF and Anti-CCP.
Keywords: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Anti-CCP antibody, RF, 14–3-3 η (eta).