[Anti-endothelial cell antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus: association with vascular and renal lesions].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to know the prevalence and characteristics of endothelial anticellular antibodies (EAA) in systemic lupus erythematosus and its relation with the clinical and immunologic manifestations of this entity.


METHODS
A prospective study of 50 patients (44 females and 6 males) diagnosed with SLE was carried out. EAA and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) were determined by the ELISA technique, lupic anticoagulant by coagulometric techniques, antinuclear antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence, anti-DNA antibodies by the Farr technique, anti-ENA by contra-immunoelectrophoresis and the complement values by radial immunodiffusion. The statistical study was carried out by chi-square test and Fisher test.


RESULTS
Positive titers of EAA were observed in 29 (58%) of the patients with SLE. The patients with EAA presented greater prevalence of both, vascular lesions (31% vs 5%, P < 0.05) and kidney involvement (62% vs 29%, p < 0.05) than those without EAA. Patients with EAA also presented a higher prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies than patients without EAA (59% vs 10%, p < 0.001). No association was found between EAA and the titers of antinuclear antibodies, anti-DNA, anti-ENA or complement levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Endothelial anticellular antibodies appear with greater frequency in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and are more often associated with vascular and kidney involvement and with the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies suggesting that they may play an etiopathogenic role in the production of these lesions.
Cervera
R
R
Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Autoinmunes Sistémicas, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Barcelona.
Khamashta
M A
MA
Font
J
J
López-Soto
A
A
D'Cruz
D
D
Navarro
M
M
Hughes
G R
GR
Ingelmo
M
M
Urbano-Márquez
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor
Anticuerpos anticélula endotelial en el lupus eritematoso sistémico: asociación con lesiones vasculares y renales.