Soluble interleukin-2 receptor serum levels facilitate prediction of relapses in subgroups of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Patients without clinical signs of disease activity already presented with increased sIL-2R serum levels several months before disease relapses, whereas conventional inflammation parameters were not elevated. Determination of sIL-2R serum levels during inactive disease may facilitate identifying patients with subclinical disease activity at risk for future active disease.