Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory arthritis of unknown etiology in children with impending risk of impaired joint function. It is defied by the presence of at least one inflamed joint persisting 6 weeks with the onset before 16 years of age. The aim of this study was to determine the extent and pattern of cervical spine involvement in children with JIA using plain radiography. Methods: This study was carried on 50 JIA patients together with 20 age and sex matched apparently healthy volunteers representing a control group. Patients were subjected to history taking , full clinical examination, disease activity was measured using Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-27(JADAS-27) and X-ray was done to assess cervical spine involvement and Atlanto-Dens interval (the distance between anterior arch of atlas and the dens of axis) (ADI) was measured. Results: Cervical curve was straightened in 60% of patients' group. Intervertebral discs, retropharyngeal spaces, Spinolaminar line alignment and ADI measurements were normal in all cases. JIA patients of polyarticular type, had a higher incidence of neck pain and neck stiffness (P value = 0.798). There were no statistical significant difference regarding ADI measurements in JIA patients suffering from neck pain and neck stiffness (P value = 0.984). Conclusion: Neck pain & stiffness were more frequent in Polyarticular JIA patients than oligo articular or systemic onset type. No radiological abnormalities were detected between different types of JIA.

Aim To measure the level of serum renalase and to clarify its relation to lupus nephritis (LN) activity and histopathological classification. Patients and methods This study was carried out on 40 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), diagnosed according to systemic lupus international collaborating clinics classification criteria (SLICC) criteria, and 20 healthy controls. They were 20 patients without nephritis and 20 patients with LN (17 active and three inactive LN). Venous blood samples were taken from all participants for complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, kidney function, anti-double-stranded DNA, C3, C4, and renalase level. The serum renalase levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Assessments of protein in 24-h urine collection and protein/creatinine (P/C) ratio were done. Renal biopsies were obtained from patients with LN, with staging and activity and chronicity indices assessment. SLE disease activity was measured by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, and LN activity was estimated by renal Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Results Renalase levels were higher in patients with LN than both patients with SLE without LN and control group. The serum renalase levels of patients with LN were positively correlated with P/C ratio, 24-h proteinuria and C3, but negatively correlated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. For patients with active LN, there was no significant correlation between their serum renalase levels and the indicators of renal activity, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, proteinuria, P/C ratio, anti-double-stranded DNA, C3, C4, and activity index of renal biopsy. The median of renalase as a marker for diagnosis of LN was 134.65, with a cutoff value of 100 μg/ml. Conclusion Serum renalase may be involved in LN pathogenesis but was not a good predictor for either LN activity or various stages of LN histopathology.

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease, has endothelial dysfunction and tissue fibrosis. The lack of its specific activity markers urges the research. Endocan is an immunomodulatory protein associated with endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to measure of the endocan level in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients’ sera to test its relation to disease activity and treatment responses. Also, to evaluate its specificity by comparing these data with Behçet’s disease (BD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ data. Results SSc and RA patients were in activity but in the BD group; eight were active and seven were inactive. The endocan level was higher in the three groups in comparison to the controls without statistically significant differences (p value RA 0.697, SSc 0.063, and BD 0.196). A statistically significant difference in endocan levels between SSc patients with and without vascular manifestations (pulmonary hypertension and finger pitting ulcers, p < 0.0001, p = 0.0097, respectively). There were no significant correlations between endocan level and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein (positive rheumatoid factor for RA) in the three groups (p > 0.05). There were no significant correlations between endocan level and activity scores in the three groups (p > 0.05). The cut-off value of endocan was 1.3 ng/ml. Conclusion Endocan is a non-specific marker for the vascular pathogenesis in systemic sclerosis but not a good predictor for its activity.

No abstract

No abstract