Table 2.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of children’s cohort
| sJIA | Non-sJIA comparison group in children | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | 20 | 23 |
| Mean age in years (SD; Range) | 9.6 (±5.5; 2–17) | 7.8 (±5.1; 11 Mon.-17) |
| Sex (male:female) | 1.2:1 | 1:1.1 |
| Swollen joints per patient* n (Range) | 0.5 (0–10) | 0 (0–8) |
| Patients with swollen joints n (%) | 10 (50) | 4 (12.5) |
| Tender joints per patient* n (Range) | 1 (0–10) | 0 (0–8) |
| Patients with tender joints n (%) | 12 (60) | 5 (15.6) |
| Arthralgia n (%) | 14 (70) | 9 (39.1) |
| Erosive Arthritis n | 0 | 0 |
| Fever n (%) | 16 (80) | 16 (69.6) |
| Rash n (%) | 12 (60) | 3 (13) |
| Pharyngitis/sore throat n (%) | 4 (20) | 1 (4.3) |
| Splenomegaly n (%) | 3 (15) | 2 (8.7) |
| Lymphadenopathy n (%) | 0 (0) | 4 (17.4) |
| Serositis (Pleuritis/Pericarditis/Peritonitis) n (%) | 2 (10) | 3 (13) |
| Prednisolone Therapy at IL-18 determination n (%) | 5 (25) | 4 (17.4) |
| DMARD Therapy | 2 (10) | 2 (8.7) |
| WBC > 10,000/ml n (%) | 16 (80) | 11 (47.8) |
| WBC Gpt/ml (SD; Range) | 15.1 (± 8.3; 5.6–37.7) | 12.8 (± 8.4; 3.6–32.8) |
| Neutrophils > 80% n (%) | 8 (40) | 5 (21.7) |
| ANA > 1:160 n (%) | 0 (0). 6 x not examined | 2 (8.7) 8 x not examined |
| Elevated ALT or AST n (%) | 1 (5) | 2 (8.7) |
| ALAT μmol/ls (SD) | 0.3 (±0.20; 0.07–0.72) | 0.35 (±0.21; 0.1–0.87) |
| RF positive n (%) | 2 (7 x of 20 not examined) | 1 (8 x of 23 not examined) |
| CRP mg/l (SD; Range) | 0 (8 x of 20 not examined) | 0 (13 x of 23 not examined) |
| ESR mm/1 h (SD; Range) | 115.1 (±85.4; < 5–398.8) | 70.6 (±74.6; < 5–253.4) |
| WBC > 10,000/ml n (%) | 70.0 (±48.9; 2–147; 12 x not examined) | 51.1 (±42.4; 5–125; 16 x not examined) |
| RBC Tpt/l (SD; Range) | 4.46 (±0.53; 3.4–5.53) | 4.33 (±0.51; 3.15–5.47) |
| Hemoglobin mmol/l (SD; Range) | 8.3 (±2.1; 6–12) | 8.4 (±2.46; 5.2–13.8) |
| Hematocrit % (SD; Range) | 0.35 (±0.04;0.29–0.46) | 0.34 (±0.04;0.26–0.42) |
| Platelets Gpt/l (SD; Range) | 409.2 (±178.8; 166–687) | 360.4 (±124.5; 183–660) |
| IL-18 pg/ml* (Range) | 14,732.5 (215–372,850) | 2580 (346.2–141,650) |
*Median; SD Standard Deviation, n number, DMARD disease modifying antirheumatic drug, WBC white blood cell count, ANA antinuclear antibodies, ALT alanine transaminase, AST aspartate transaminase, RF rheumatoid factor, CRP C-reactive protein, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, RBC red blood cell count