Kostik MM, Makhova MA, Maletin AS, et al. - Researchers conducted this prospective study to assess the cytokine levels in pediatric chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) patients and compare these with other immune-mediated diseases and healthy controls. The sample consisted of 42 children with CNO, 28 patients with non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), 17 children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and 30 healthy age-matched controls. CNO patients had substantially higher levels of all studied cytokines than controls, although JIA patients had lower levels of IDDM, 14-3-3-protein, IL-18, IL-4, IL-17, IL-1, and TNF-α. The function of monocyte-driven inflammation in CNO patients is confirmed by the increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines have the potential to be useful as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CNO.