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Anti-Endothelial Cell Autoantibodies and Soluble Markers of Endothelial Cell Dysfunction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
JOEL CONSTANS, REMY DUPUY, ANDREW D. BLANN, FRANCOIS RESPLANDY, MARTINE SEIGNEUR, MARTINE RENARD, MAÏTE LONGY-BOURSIER, THIERRY SCHAEVERBEKE, VIVIANE GUÉRIN, MICHEL R. BOISSEAU, and CLAUDE CONRI
ABSTRACT.
Objective. To determine if anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) and plasma markers of endothelial cell function are related to disease severity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. We measured AECA by human umbilical vein endothelial cell binding, endothelial markers von Willebrand factor, soluble thrombomodulin, and soluble E-selectin by ELISA, and disease severity by SLEDAI and SLICC/ACR in 35 patients with SLE. Results. Despite high levels of IgG AECA (p = 0.001) and von Willebrand factor (p = 0.0007) compared to 21 healthy controls, we found a positive correlation only between IgG AECA and the SLEDAI index (r = 0.393, p = 0.021). Conclusion. IgG AECA seem to be related to disease activity in SLE, possibly in a pathogenic role. Conversely, plasma markers of endothelial cell damage seem to be an epiphenomenon and may simply be related to excess inflammation. (J Rheumatol 2003;30:1963-6) Key Indexing Terms:
ENDOTHELIUM
From the Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André, the Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Université de Bordeaux II, and the Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Pellegrin-Tondu, Bordeaux, France; and the Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK. J. Constans, MD, Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André; R. Dupuy, MD, Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Université de Bordeaux II; A.D. Blann, MD, Haemostasis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital; F. Resplandy, MD; M. Seigneur, MD; M. Renard, MD, Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Université de Bordeaux II; M. Longy-Boursier, MD, Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Saint-André; T. Schaeverbeke, MD, Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Pellegrin-Tondu; V. Guérin, MD; M.R. Boisseau, MD, Laboratoire d'Hématologie, Université de Bordeaux II; C. Conri, MD, Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André. Address reprint requests to Dr. J. Constans, Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André, 1 rue Jean Burguet, 33075 Bordeaux, France. E-mail: joel.constans@chu-bordeaux.fr Submitted September 12, 2002; revision accepted January 24, 2003. |