Improvement of reduced serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein levels in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients treated with the anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab

In this study, we determined serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) patients during both the active and the remission phases to investigate how the growth cartilage turnover changed under tocilizumab treatment. Specimens were collected from 201 healthy children under 16 years of age with no growth impairment, and paired sera were collected from 11 sJIA patients treated with tocilizumab. Disease activity was assessed from white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and ferritin, and the COMP concentration was determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum COMP concentrations were found independent of age, and the mean value in healthy children was 17.74 ± 5.6 U/L. The mean serum COMP in sJIA patients during the active phase was 10.75 ± 3.9 U/L, lower than that of healthy children. The mean serum COMP in the remission phase (14.89 ± 3.9 U/L) was significantly higher than that in the active period (P < 0.05). These results suggested that in sJIA patients, a reduced serum COMP concentration is a useful marker of active disease and growth impairment, and that the growth cartilage turnover suppressed during the active phase is improved in the remission phase under tocilizumab treatment.