Acute effects of steroids on immune complex profile of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Correlation of profile with development of target organ involvement.
Eleven patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus, previously untreated, were studied to 1) determine the acute effect of corticosteroids on circulating immune complex (CIC) levels and 2) correlate the initial CIC profile with the development of organ system involvement. Using serial measurements of CIC as detected by assays for cryoglobulins and binding to C1q, Raji cells, and rheumatoid factor, we found that levels of CIC change little during the first month of high dose daily steroid therapy, but they uniformly decrease to near normal by 6 to 12 months. High levels of CIC detected by Raji cell assay early in the course of systemic lupus erythematosus and before steroid therapy appear to be predictive of the development of chronic lupus nephritis (P less than 0.005).
D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes / Q000032:analysis; D015922:Complement C1q; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011379:Prognosis; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D015922:Complement C1q; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes; D011241:Prednisone