NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN ACTIVE JUVENILE CHRONIC ARTHRITIS NOT TREATED WITH STEROIDS

Nutritional status and nutrient intake were assessed in 17 children wi th active juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) who never received steroids and in 17 controls matched for age and sex. Five patients had systemi c, seven polyarticular and five oligoarticular JCA. Values significant ly below those of the controls were found in systemic patients for hei ght (p < 0.05), upper arm circumference (p < 0.05) and arm muscle area (p < 0.01), and in polyarticular subjects for arm muscle area (p < 0. 01). All patients had unremarkable anthropometric fat measurements. Ai l anthropometric measurements were normal in oligoarticular patients. Twelve JCA patients had reduced serum iron (Fe), 6 reduced serum zinc (SZn), 14 reduced intra-erythrocytic zinc (EZn) and 2 reduced serum co pper (SCu). SZn was inversely correlated with erythrocyte sedimentatio n rate (ESR) (p = 0.023). EZn was inversely related to lymphocyte coun t (p = 0.022). SCu was related to ESR (p = 0.037) and to lymphocyte co unt (p = 0.016). No significant difference in nutrient intake was foun d between patients and controls. Active JCA was associated with reduce d muscular mass, Fe, SZn and EZn. These alterations did not depend on reduced nutrient intake.