ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical significance of plasma D-dimer levels in dermatomyositis(DM). METHODS: The correlations between D-dimer level and important clinical indicators of DM patients were analyzed by assessing the plasma D-dimer level in 46 patients with DM(among which 17 cases were amyopathic dermatomyositis)and 22 cases of PM. The clinical significance of D-dimer level in DM patients with interstitial lung disease(ILD)was also analyzed. RESULTS: The D-dimer level(1.18±1.17μg/L)in DM group was significantly higher than that(0.61±0.43μg/L)in PM group(P=0.03).In DM group, D-dimer level was positively correlated with lactate dehydrogenase(R=0.402,P=0.01),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(R=0.337,P=0.03)and C-reactive protein level(R=0.404,P=0.01).Our results also showed that the D-D level in DM group was negatively correlated with peripheral blood lymphocyte count(R=-0.392,P=0.01), peripheral blood CD3+T(R=-0.360,P=0.03)and CD3+CD8+Tlymphocyte count(R=-0.342,P=0.04).There was no significant difference in D-dimer levels between patients with ILD and those without ILD. Conclution Increased plasma of D-D may be an important indicator of disease activity in DM.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To detect the levels of B cell activating factor(BAFF) in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) in patients with lupus encephalopathy(LE). METHODS: CSF from 15 patients with LE and 11 controls with headache were collected. The controls with headache were excluded diseases at last and used to be controls. The levels of BAFF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Clinical features and laboratory data were collected from the patients with LE. RESULTS: The levels of BAFF in the CSF of patients with LE were significantly higher than that of controls [(1421.3±670.31) pg/mL vs.(21.9±21.44) pg/mL, P<0.01]. The levels were also increased significantly when compared with paired sera[(1011.4±356.43) ng/L, P<0.05]. CONCLUSION: was not found between the levels of BAFF and serum BAFF as well as the other clinical items. CONCLUSION: Brain immunity may contribute the increased BAFF in CSF in patients with LE.