Association of Autoimmune Markers with the Disease Activity in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Abstract Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem chronic autoimmune disease with a relapsing and remitting course. Predicting changes in SLE disease activity could allow for closer monitoring and preemptive treatment. SLE is diagnosed using a combination of immunological markers, clinical symptoms. Aim of the Work To assess the relation between level of autoimmune markers in SLE patients with disease activity. Subjects and Methods Our study was a case control study, conducted on 60 patients of matched age and sex attending immunology & rheumatology outpatient clinics and wards at Ain Shams university hospital during the period from September 2023 to February 2024. 30 were medically free individuals and they made the control group. As regards the cases group it was divided into further 2 groups where 30 were SLE patients not in activity and the remaining 30 patients were SLE patients in activity. Results Markers of activity as C3, C4, Anti-dsDNA, ESR, CRP, PR/CR ratio was highly significant when compared between three studied groups, p-value <0.01. ESR and CRP was high in active group than inactive group than control group. C3 and C4 was high in control group than inactive group than active group. PR/CR ratio was high in active group than control group inactive group. Anti-dsDNA was significance in comparison between Active SLE and Inactive SLE groups, also between active SLE and control groups, being positive only in active group. Antiphospholipid antibodies (LAC IgG and IgM, ACL IgG and IgM, β2 glycoprotein IgG and IgM) was highly significant when compared between three studied groups, p-value <0.01, being higher in inactive group than active group than control group. Conclusion Autoimmune markers as markers of activity and antiphospholipid antibodies showed strong significance when compared between three studied groups, and in comparison between active and inactive SLE groups.