title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus activity and serum bilirubins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum bilirubins play an important role in controlling oxidative stress; there is increased oxidative stress during activity of rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study bilirubin levels in SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) patients and relate them to disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed levels of total bilirubins (TB), direct bilirubins (DB) and indirect bilirubins (IB), sedimentation rate (ESR) and C reactive protein (CRP) in 143 SLE patients. Data were collected on the clinical and autoantibody profiles and patients underwent measurement of SLEDAI and SLICC .
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation of indirect bilirubin values with SLEDAI was negative (p=0.02; Spearman rho=-0.18). Comparing the levels of IB according to the clinical activity profile we observed associations with increase of anti DNA titer (p=0.027) and with decrease in complement levels (p=0.017). ESR correlated negatively with IB levels (p=0.01) but CRP did not (p=0.15). In a multiple linear regression analysis only the increase in ESR titer remained significant. SLICC values were not correlated with TB (p=0.30), DB (p=0.12) or IB (p=0.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that IB levels in SLE correlate negatively with disease activity. IB levels are lower in patients with higher ESR.
authors.forename: Brenda Hernandes
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Camila Monteiro
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de R Almeida
authors.forename: Thelma L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Skare
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001663:Bilirubin