title: Evaluating systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity using molecular markers of hemostasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the usefulness of measuring sensitive markers of the coagulation-fibrinolysis system (i.e., thrombin-antithrombin III complex [TAT], D dimer fragments [DD], and plasmin-alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex [PIC]) for evaluating disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 57 SLE patients. Plasma concentrations of DD were measured by latex agglutination using monoclonal antibodies; TAT and PIC were determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Disease activity was determined by using the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of TAT, DD, and PIC were higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls (P<0.05). Levels of TAT and DD showed good correlations with SLEDAI scores (for TAT r=0.66, P<0.001; for DD r=0.50, P<0.001). Elevated levels of TAT, DD, and PIC were decreased following treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results strongly suggest that measurement of molecular markers of hemostasis is useful for evaluating disease activity in patients with SLE.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokuda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiuchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; C037742:plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex; D000990:Antithrombin III; D001623:Betamethasone; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D005341:Fibrinolysin; D008775:Methylprednisolone