title: Selected growth factors and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to evaluate serum concentrations of selected growth factors and the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in 21 females treated for systemic lupus erythematosus. The control group consisted of 24 healthy women. Based on the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), patients were allocated to a subgroup of 11 subjects (HRCT-negative) and a subgroup of 10 with pulmonary abnormalities (HRCT-positive). In HRCT-negative patients a significantly higher level of TNF-α as compared with the control was observed and positive correlation between TNF-α and bFGF was revealed in this subgroup and in the total group of patients. DLCO was below the predicted value in 13 patients. No correlations between DLCO and growth factors concentrations were observed. DLCO reduction in asymptomatic, with respect to the respiratory system, SLE patients suggests a need for long-term monitoring of this parameter. The role of TNF-α in these patients requires further investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal, Autoimmune and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Medyków 14, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hrycek
authors.forename: Władysław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pierzchała
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osławska-Dzierzega
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cieślik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity / Q000502:physiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D002248:Carbon Monoxide