Background & Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease with life-threatening complications. Since evidence indicates that measurement of triglyceride (TG) and HDL levels and tumor necrosis α factor (TNF- α) and its types I and II soluble receptors plays a major role in evaluation of lupus activity, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the above mentioned factors and lupus activity in Tehran in 2005.
Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study fasting blood samples were obtained from 86 SLE patients who had been entered into the study through convenient sampling and the disease activity was calculated using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI]. Scores ≥ 6 were considered as active lupus and <6 as dormant lupus. Serum levels of TNF- α, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were measured through ELISA (Bender Medsystem) and blood TG and HDL through routine biochemical tests within 12 hours overnight fasting. The results were analysed by t-test, Mann-Whitney and Pearson correlation tests.
Results: 46 people (53.5%) suffered from dormant disease and 40 people (46.5%) from active disease. TG level had significant relationship with disease activity, sTNFR2 (P=0.001) and TNF-α (P=0/01), while HDL level had inverse significant relationship with SLEDAI (P=0.007), TNF (P=0.01), STNFR1 (P=0.001). There was no significant relation between TG and HDL with STNFR2. Multiple linear analysis of regression showed that three variables (TG, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2) are maintained in the model for prognosis of the disease while TNF-α and HDL are omitted.
Conclusion: Dislipoproteinemia (elevated TG and reduced HDL) correlates with SLE activity following an increase in TNF-α and its soluble receptors. Thus, serum levels of TG, HDL and TNF-α and its soluble receptors are connected with lupus activity and are valuable markers for the disease activity.