Serum thrombomodulin. A novel marker of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
Soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), a proposed serum marker of endothelial cell injury, was investigated as a parameter of disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
Levels of sTM were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Disease activity was assessed using 3 established scoring systems: the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), the New York Hospital for Special Surgery (NYHSS), and the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) systems.


RESULTS
A close correlation was found between sTM levels and disease activity as assessed with all 3 scoring systems: r = 0.52 by the ACR, 0.75 by the NYHSS, and 0.82 by the SLAM.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that sTM is a sensitive serologic marker of organ involvement in patients with SLE. Furthermore, sTM may prove to be an important marker for vasculitis in general.
Boehme
M W
MW
Department of Internal Medicine IV, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Nawroth
P P
PP
Kling
E
E
Lin
J
J
Amiral
J
J
Riedesel
J
J
Raeth
U
U
Scherbaum
W A
WA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000032:analysis*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D018180:Thrombomodulin