Monitoring neutrophil activation in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis by S100A12 serum concentrations.

Objective: Phagocytes are extensively involved in the synovial inflammation associated with chronic arthritis. The aim of our study was to determine neutrophil activation in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) by analyzing S100A12 (EN-RAGE; calgranulin C), a proinflammatory protein secreted by human neutrophils.

Methods: S100A12 serum concentrations were determined in 124 patients with chronic active polyarticular-, oligoarticular-, or systemic-onset JRA.