Background: Vascular changes are preceding the development of fibrosis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Signs of angiogenesis, the process of new vessel formation, cannot be fully detected, especially in childhood. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered to play a crucial role for angiogenesis regulation [1,2].

Objectives: To evaluate serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Methods: 104 consecutive JIA patients aged 10 to 18 years (13.3 ± 0.3) were included in this 4-years prospective study. VEGF levels were determined by VEGF ELISA kits. Serum levels of VEGF were analyzed depending on patients’ gender, age, and age of JIA onset, its variant, duration, activity, and presence of methotrexate (MTX) in treatment and its dose.

Results: We evaluated VEGF level for children with JIA (min: 23.68 pg/ml; Me:244.75 pg/ml; max: 2158.91 pg/ml). VEGF in JIA was related to onset of JIA in patients older than 15 years and high disease activity according JADAS-27 pattern (p˂0.05). Levels of circulating immune complex (CIC) and antistreptolysin-o (ASL-O) was associated with VEGF level. Mostly VEGF was correlated with CIC (among: girls r=0.53, patients with oligoarthritis r=0.55, inactive disease activity according to JADAS-27 r=0.47, dose of МТХ, 10–12,5mg/m2/week r=0.67 p ˂ 0.05) and with ASL-O (among: girls r=0.47, inactive disease activity according to JADAS-27 r=0.51, MTX treatment r= 0.36, dose of МТХ, 10–12,5mg/m2/week r=0.90 p ˂ 0.05).

Conclusion: Children with JIA had a higher VEGF level in patients older than 15 years and high disease activity. Also, CIC and ASL-O showed high impact on VEGF level which is the critical factor of angiogenesis.

REFERENCES:

[1]Wu, C. Y., Yang, H. Y., Huang, J. L., & Lai, J. H. (2021). Signals and Mechanisms Regulating Monocyte and Macrophage Activation in the Pathogenesis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(15), 7960. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22157960

[2]Świdrowska-Jaros, J., & Smolewska, E. (2018). A fresh look at angiogenesis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Central-European journal of immunology, 43(3), 325–330. https://doi.org/10.5114/ceji.2018.80052

Disclosure of Interests: None declared