title: Correlations of urinary biomarkers, TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), osteoprotegerin (OPG), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and IL-8 with lupus nephritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case-controlled study was designed to correlate urinary biomarkers, TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), osteoprotegerin (OPG), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels, with renal involvement in a cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients to examine their diagnostic performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 73 SLE patients, and in 23 healthy volunteers, urinary levels of TWEAK, OPG, MCP-1, and IL-8 levels were measured. Disease activity was assessed by total SLE disease activity index, and renal activity by renal activity index (rSLEDAI), and both were correlated with urinary biomarkers. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of individual biomarkers to predict lupus nephritis were also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher levels of urinary biomarkers were observed in SLE patients with lupus nephritis (LN) compared with those without LN (TWEAK, p < 0.001; MCP-1, p < 0.001; OPG, p < 0.001; IL-8, p < 0.032). Other significantly higher levels were observed in SLE patients with LN compared with control subjects (TWEAK, MCP-1, OPG, and IL-8 p < 0.001). Positive correlations were observed between rSLEDAI and TWEAK (r = 0.612 and p < 0.001), MCP-1 (r = 0.635 and p < 0.001), and OPG (r = 0.505 and p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary levels of TWEAK, OPG, and MCP-1 positively correlate with renal involvement as assessed by rSLEDAI with reasonable sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values to detect lupus nephritis while IL-8 was not significantly associated with global or rSLEDAI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Shehaby
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Darweesh
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Khatib
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momtaz
authors.forename: Samar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzouk
authors.forename: Nashwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Shaarawy
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Emad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000652:urine; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis; D008297:Male; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein / Q000652:urine*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000652:urine*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C497857:CD46 protein, human; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D016209:Interleukin-8; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors