INCREASED CIRCULATING NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITHDISEASE-ACTIVITY IN JUVENILE CHRONIC ARTHRITIS

Objective-To determine the circulating serum concentrations of nerve g rowth factor (NGF) and compare them with indices of disease activity i n juvenile chronic arthritis. Methods-NGF concentrations were evaluate d with a two site immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA), in 17 children with s ystemic, 39 with polyarticular, and 24 with pauciarticular onset juven ile chronic arthritis. Each subset was divided according to different variables, appropriate to each subset, reflecting active and inactive disease. Results-NGF concentrations were significantly higher in child ren with systemic [254 (SD 256.1) pg ml(-1); P < 0.001], polyarticular [165.2 (300.8) pg ml(-1); P < 0.05], and pauciarticular [106.8 (111.8 ) pg ml(-1); P < 0.005] onset juvenile chronic arthritis than in contr ols. In all subsets, NGF concentrations were higher in the active than in the inactive phase of the disease. A significant direct correlatio n between NGF concentrations and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was fo und both in the systemic and in the polyarticular onset juvenile chron ic arthritis. Conclusions-The increase in NGF concentrations in all ju venile chronic arthritis subsets and the correlation with disease acti vity suggest that NGF may take an active part in joint inflammation.