Serum Amyloid A in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Its Association with Disease Activity

Background and aim of work.The serum amyloid A levels (SAA) levels increases intensely during acute inflammation. Previous studies reported that SAA concentrations was increased and correlated with disease activity in RA and in ankylosing spondylitis patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the correlation between JIA disease activity score and the SSA concentration. Subjects and Methods. Fifty JIA patients and 30 controls were enrolled in this study. JIA patients were examined and disease activity was determined. SAA, CRP and ESR were assessed for all participants. Results.SAA was significantly higher in the JIA patients compared to the controls (20.6 ±12.8 versus 5.3 ±2.5 mg/dl respectively, p<0.001). The CRP and ESR levels were also significantly higher in the JIA patients compared to the controls.The SAA concentration was significantly correlated with JIA acitivity, CRP level and ESR level. The SAA level in the patients with systemic JIA was higher than in the patients with polyarticular JIA and was lowest in oligoatircular JIA. Binary regression model revealed that only SAA was significantly associated with JIA activity (OR = 1.149). In ROC analysis, the SAA concentration can discriminate between the patients with active from those with inactive disease (AUC = 0.643). Conclusions.SAA is significantly increased in patients with JIA and is strongly correlated with JIA disease activity. SAA is better indicator for JIA activity than CRP and ESR.