Anti lactoferrin antibody and serum ferritin in juvenile rheumatoid artheritis

ABSTRACT

Lactoferrin [LF] is a cationic iron -binding protein residing in the specific granules of poly-morph-nuclear neutrophil leucocytes [PMNL] .It is released upon neutrophil activation. Anti-LF antibodies .belong to anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies [ANCA] It has been described in several autoimmune diseases as classical Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and Systemic Lupus Erthymatosis [SLE] and has a role in vasculitic changes associated with these diseases. The aim of this study was to assess anti LF antibodies and serum ferritin in different types of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis [JRA] and its relation to disease activity. Serum samples were collected from forty four patients with JRA diagnosed according to Cassidy, et al[11] criteria, 16 of them were pauciarticular type, [mean age 7.2 +/- 2.4 years],16 polyarticular [mean age 6.8 +/- 2.3 years], and 12 systemic onset type [mean age 7 +/- 3 years], in addition to 12 healthy subjects as control group. Clinical assessment of patients and controls was done with stress on fever, skin rash, joint swelling and tenderness and subcutaneous nodules. Laboratory measurement of anti- LF antibodies, serum ferritin, TIBC, ESR, RF, CRP and ANA. was done The results of our study showed high serum levels of both anti-LF antibodies and serum ferritin in all types of JRA patients' in comparison to control group. Anti- LF antibodies showed significant' positive correlation with clinical and laboratory variables of disease activity, including fever, joint swelling, SCN ,ESR, and CRP. Serum feriritin showed statistically significant high level in systemic onset type, and positive correlation with anti-LF antibodies. TIBC showed significant negative correlation with both Anti-LF antibodies and serum ferrtin. Anti-antibodies LF can be used as a marker of activity. Serum ferrtin is Considered as inflammatory marker and has a significant diagnostic value in systemic onset type of JRA.