Nitric oxide levels and the severity of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Abstract

In this study, we evaluate the distribution of nitric oxide (NO) in the serum of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients, correlating it with parameters of the severity of the disease. Ninety-seven patients with mean age 11.7 years and disease duration 4.8 years, showing active disease or not, grouped as oligoarticular (n = 34), polyarticular (n = 29) and systemic (n = 34) group, presenting uveitis and positive RF with erosive arthritis or active disease and erosions had significantly high levels of NO than the inactive ones. NO correlated with TNF-alpha in the oligoarticular subtype (P < 0.03), with pain in the polyarticular subtype with active disease (P < 0.04) and with ESR in the systemic subtype with active disease (P < 0.03). TNF-alpha concentration was high in all patients with active disease, accompanying NO production. The data confirm the production of NO in JIA patients, indicating a possible positive correlation between the production of NO and severity of the disease.

Reactive oxygen species and serum antioxidant defense in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

“…Our study indicated a significant positive correlation between JADAS-27 and ESR and NO end-products’ levels, which is in concordance with previous authors’ observations in adult patients with RA; however, in JIA such correlations were not found [3, 9, 18]. On the other hand, it was observed by Bica et al that patients with active JIA and erosive disease had significantly higher NO levels, whereas children with an inactive rheumatoid process had similar NO levels regardless of whether erosions were present or not [3]. …”

“…Similarly to Bica et al and Lotito et al, we showed that the concentration of NO end-products in sera of children with JIA and active disease was higher than that in children with inactive process, however without a statistically significant difference [3, 17]. Our study indicated a significant positive correlation between JADAS-27 and ESR and NO end-products’ levels, which is in concordance with previous authors’ observations in adult patients with RA; however, in JIA such correlations were not found [3, 9, 18].…”

“…It is characterized by leukocyte infiltration in the synovium leading to a chronic inflammation in the joints, which persists for more than 6 weeks, with consequent destruction of articular tissue [1, 2]. Recently, considerable interest has been generated in determining the JIA pathogenesis, looking for new therapeutic strategies and for the prognostic factors, which would permit an early identification of patients with a poor prognosis, justifying the application of an aggressive treatment in the early stages of the disease [2, 3]. …”

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Dorsal Root Ganglia during Chronic Inflammatory Nociception

“…Nevertheless, at central level, eNOS within the dorsolateral peri-aqueductal gray matter plays a differential role in the cardiovascular system during heat-and cold-mediated nociception via modulating glutamatergic/GABAergic neurotransmission [Chaitoff et al, 2008]. However, the effect of NO on pain and analgesia in the periphery remains contradictory [Durate et al, 1990;Holthusen and Arndt, 1994;Berrazueta et al, 1996;Aley et al, 1998;Bica et al, 2007;Brisby et al, 2007;Guan et al, 2007]. For example, eNOS expression in DRG was unaltered in a mouse spinal ligation model (a neuropathic pain model) while nNOS was increased [Guan et al, 2007].…”

Differential anti‐inflammatory and chondroprotective effects of simulated digests of indomethacin and an herbal composite (MobilityTM) in a cartilage explant model of articular inflammation

“…This would be similar to the effect on cartilage explant cultures reported for undigested indomethacin in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (Arsenis & McDonnell, 1989; Frean et al. , 2002; Bica et al. , 2007).…”