RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Autoantibodies to C-Reactive Protein in Incomplete Lupus and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
JF Journal of Investigative Medicine
JO J Investig Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 890
OP 893
DO 10.1097/JIM.0000000000000094
VO 62
IS 6
A1 Ju-Yang Jung
A1 Bo-Ram Koh
A1 Hyoun-Ah Kim
A1 Ja-Young Jeon
A1 Chang-Hee Suh
YR 2014
UL http://hw-f5-jim.highwire.org/content/62/6/890.abstract
AB Objective Anti-C-reactive protein (CRP) antibodies have been described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the potential of the anti-CRP antibody as a marker for disease activity in SLE patients and as a predictor of progression to SLE in patients with incomplete lupus.Methods Immunoglobulin G anti-CRP antibody levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Patients with incomplete lupus exhibited clinical and immunologic characteristics different from those in SLE patients: no serositis and alopecia, more common oral ulcers and arthritis, lower disease activity index, lower positivity for antinuclear and anti–double-strand DNA antibodies, and higher complement levels. Anti-CRP antibody levels were higher in SLE patients (35.6 [35.1] AU) than in patients with incomplete lupus (23.1 [25.8] AU, P = 0.016) and normal controls (21.0 [14.3] AU, P < 0.001). Anti-CRP antibody was significantly higher in SLE patients with arthritis and correlated with disease activity markers, including antichromatin antibody. However, no difference in anti-CRP antibody levels was observed between patients with incomplete lupus that progressed to SLE and those whose did not.Conclusion These data suggest that anti-CRP antibodies can neither be used as biomarkers in SLE nor predict SLE progression in patients with incomplete lupus.