The Hemogram Parameters in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Relation to Disease Activity and Ultrasound Findings

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an autoimmune chronic disease of childhood with existent challenges to monitoring the disease activity. The hemogram parameters are utilized as inflammatory markers in several diseases. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and red cell distribution width (RDW) in JIA patients with correlating them to disease activity along with ultrasonographic parameters. Subjects and methods: This case-control study incorporated 50 JIA children and 50 healthy control children. Laboratory investigations included the CBC derived parameters (RDW, PDW, MPV, NLR, LMR and PLR), ESR and CRP. Assessment of JIA disease activity was performed. JIA functional status was assessed by Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR). Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) was done to JIA children using 10-joint score according to OMERACT definitions. Results: In JIA patients, PDW, MPV and LMR were lower than controls (P