Effect of juvenile idiopathic arthritis activity on erythropoiesis: significance of reticulocyte indicators

Abstract

The article deals with the influence of the activity of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on the state of the reticulocyte link of erythropoiesis. The aim of the study was to study the effect of the activity of the inflammatory process in JIA on erythropoiesis by studying reticulocyte parameters.

Research methods: 118 patients with JIA and 30 patients of the comparison group were included in the study. Patients underwent a complete blood count with the determination of the following parameters: the absolute and relative reticulocyte count (Ret# and Ret‰), the amount of hemoglobin in the reticulocyte (Ret-He) and erythrocyte (RBC-He), the fraction of immature reticulocytes (IRF), the distribution of reticulocytes by degrees of light scattering into high fluorescent (immature, HFR), medium fluorescent (immature, MFR) and low fluorescent (mature, LFR).

Results. Statistically significant differences were found in the content of reticulocytes and in the qualitative ratio of reticulocytes, the content of hemoglobin in the reticulocyte and erythrocyte, delta-hemoglobin, depending on the activity of the inflammatory process.

Findings. The activity of the inflammatory process affects erythropoiesis in the form of an increase in the production of reticulocytes, predominantly immature forms with a peak at a high degree of activity. As the activity of the inflammatory process increases, the need for iron increases in order to maintain adequate hemoglobin synthesis. As disease activity increases, the risk of microcytic anemia increases.