title: Lack of correlation between serum soluble Fas/APO-1 levels and autoimmune disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether elevated soluble Fas/APO-1 (sFas/APO-1) levels are associated with either autoimmune disease or evidence of flares in autoimmune disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven serum samples were retrospectively obtained from normal controls and patients with laboratory evidence of autoimmune disease activity. These samples were assayed for sFas/APO-1 levels by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and hospital medical records were retrospectively reviewed for clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Soluble Fas/APO-1 levels did not correlate with clinical diagnoses or laboratory abnormalities. The mean and range of sFas/APO-1 levels were similar in systemic lupus erythematosus patients (including those with active disease), patients with other autoimmune diseases, and normal controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data strongly suggest that measurement of sFas/APO-1 levels is unlikely to hold clinical value or play a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: St Clair
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Seldin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019014:fas Receptor