title: Correlation between levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 and hematological involvement in SLE Egyptian patients with lupus nephritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a rheumatic autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem organ involvement and by high titers of auto antibodies against several nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens. Numerous abnormalities of the cytokine network have been described in patients suffering from SLE. However the role of cytokines in different organ involvement is not yet well defined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if levels of Interlukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) correlate with SLE disease activity in Egyptian SLE patients and more specifically with hematological involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in serum samples from sixty individuals (40 with Systemic lupus Erythmatosus and 20 healthy controls) were determined and renal biopsies were obtained from SLE patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were higher in SLE patients with active compared with inactive hematological disease. Further analysis showed that this association was dependent on inverse correlation (P=0.017, r=-0.49) for IL-6 and (P=0.76, r=-.243) for TNF-alpha. The mean level of TNF-alpha and Il-6 was (766.95+/-357.82 pg/ml) and (135.4+/-54.23 pg/ml) respectively for patients with active disease while it was (314.01+/-100.87 pg/ml) and (47.33+/-18.61 pg/ml) for those with inactive disease and (172.7+/-39.19 pg/ml) and (21.15+/-10.99 pg/ml) for the healthy control group respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.002). We found significant positive correlations between TNF-alpha and IL-6 and the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score. (r=+0.743 and +0.772 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raised level of Il-6 and TNF-alpha may influence the development of anemia in Egyptian patients with Lupus Nephritis.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. asabry20@netscape.com
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabry
authors.forename: Sherief Refat
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Elbasyouni
authors.forename: Hussein A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sheashaa
authors.forename: Amr A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alhusseini
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Shahir Kamal
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Ehab Abdel
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kaleek
authors.forename: Hamdy
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: abo-Zena
authors.forename: Abdalla M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kalil
authors.forename: Tareek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mohsen
authors.forename: Mona Abdel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.forename: Ayman Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: El-samanody
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha