T-helper lymphocyte subsets and T cell activation in peripheral blood of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and arthralgias caused by other conditions

Damir Sabitovic, Elmir Cickusic, Nijaz Tihic, Silvija Avdic, Belkisa Colic, Almira Cosickic

Abstract


Introduction: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease in children. It encompasses a group of clinically heterogeneous arthritides that begin before the age of 16, and persist for more than 6 weeks.  JIA often begins with pain in a joint and febrile condition, therefore it's very important to distinguish it from diseases with similar presentations.

 

Aim of this study was to examine and determine T-helper lymphocyte subsets CD4+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RO+ and  activated T-cells in peripheral blood of children with JIA and arthralgias caused by other conditions.

 

Patients and methods: Retrospective study included 40 patients with JIA and 40 patients with arthralgias caused by other conditions. Lymphocytes quantification was performed with Beckman-Coulter FC-500 cytometer.

 

Results: There was no statistical difference in the percentage of T-helper lymphocytes  between children with JIA and children with arthralgias caused by other conditions (36.3±9.1:39.2±7.8; p>0,05). Also, percentage of CD4+CD45RA+ T-lymphocytes  (20.5±8.3:23.2±7.2; p>0,05), and CD4+CD45RO+ T-lymphocytes were not different between two examined groups (15.7±4.9:15.9 ± 6.0;  p>0,05).

Decrease in the ratio of CD4+CD45RA+T/CD4+CD45RO+T in patients with JIA in comparison with those in children with arthralgias caused by other conditions is significant     (15:6; p=0,04). Concerning T-cell activation, measured as HLA DR expression, we find significant difference between children with JIA and children with arthralgias caused by other conditions (2.04±0.8:1.6±0.7;  p=0,01).

 

Conclusion: Although there are clinical similarities between the JIA and arthritides caused by other reasons those two entities appear to be distinct phenotypically in expression of CD45 isoforms on T-helper lymphocytes and proportion of activated T-cells. 

Keywords


JIA; CD3+CD4+CD45RA+; CD3+CD4+CD45RO+; activated T-cells



DOI: 10.5457/ams.v43i1 - 2.324