Correlation of Serum Interleukin‐6 Levels with Joint Involvement and Thrombocytosis in Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Abstract
We measured interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in 70 serum samples obtained from 25 patients with systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), using the hybridoma cell line B9. Patients with systemic-onset JRA had significantly elevated serum IL-6 levels during active disease (mean ± SD 92.1 ± 75.1 hybridoma growth factor units/ml; P < 0.00001 versus healthy age-matched controls), but not during remission. Serum IL-6 levels correlated with the extent and severity of joint involvement (P < 0.001) and with platelet counts (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that IL-6 plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of systemic-onset JRA.