Urinary neopterin levels in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

الملخص EN

Objectives: To measure urinary neopterin levels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to determine their correlations with different parameters of disease activity.

Methods: Forty SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were included in this study.

They were subjected to thorough clinical examination and the following laboratory investigations: full blood picture, ESR, 24 hours urinary protein, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-double stranded DNA antibodies (anti-dsDNA antibodies) using indirect immunofluorescence, serum complement (C3 and C4) using single radial immunodiffusion and urinary neopterin using radioimmunoassay (RIA) method.

Results: Urinary neopterin levels were significantly raised in patients with active and inactive SLE as compared to healthy controls (p<0.001 and p<0.01 respectively).

It was significantly higher in patients with active than in those with inactive SLE (p<0.01).

Urinary neopterin levels showed significant correlations with parameters of disease activity including ESR, hemoglobin %, serum C3 and C4.

Conclusions: Urinary neopterin levels could be considered a useful marker for monitoring disease activity in SLE patients.