Soluble receptors for tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-2 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

ABSTRACT

This study was done on 30 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients in addition to ten control subjects age and sex matched. All cases were subjected to full history and complete clinical examination, CBP, ESR, urine analysis, renal function tests, antinuclear antibodies [ANA] and anti-DNA. Serum TNF alpha-RII and IL2-SR alpha levels were measured by ELISA in all patients and compared with that of the control subjects. The clinical assessment and laboratory results indicated that the activity of SLE was evaluated according to SLAM score, then the patients were classified into three groups. Group I included ten patients with inactive SLE, their mean +/- SD age was 23.5 + 12.8 years [SLAM score [zero]]; group II included ten patients with mild SLE activity, their mean +/- SD age was 26.4 + 14.5 years [SLAM score [1-28]] and group III included ten patients with moderate SLE activity, their mean +/- SD age was 25.5 +/- 8.2 years [SLAM score [29-50]]. In conclusion, the serum level of both TNF alpha-RII and IL2-SR alpha in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus was higher than normal and can be considered as markers for SLE disease activity