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.