CRYOGLOBULINEMIA NOT ASSOCIATED WITH HEPATITIS C IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Abstract

THE AIM. Assess the relationship cryoglobulinemia (CGE), associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with features of the clinical course of SLE. PATIENTS AND METHODS. A total of 100 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 65 of whom had KGE were examined. All patients evaluated the presence of complement components C3, C4, CEC, RF, IgG and IgM, antibodies to native and denatured DNA, lymphocyte, CD3, CD4 and CD8, CD4/CD8, and the presence of Cor-NS-unstructured antigens, determination of HCV RNA C and HBV DNA by PCR, IgM and IgG antibodies to the herpes virus by ELISA. Cryoglobulins (CG) were determined in serum by the method of Meltzer and assessed in terms of cryocrit, as well as spectrophotometrically at a wavelength λ= 492 nm. To assess the relationship CGE with features of the clinical course of SLE were examined 50 patients in the dynamics of next year. The control group consisted of 30 persons. RESULTS. Patients with CGE had significantly more severe course of illness, often with renal, central nervous system, blood and heart diseases, which was accompanied by lower levels of CD3+, CD4+, and C3-complement component with an increase in CD8+ compared with patients without CGE. Titer of antiphospholipid antibodies was higher in the group with CGE. Observation of the dynamics showed that in patients with CGE often revealed disease progression with the development of cerebrovasculitis, recurrence of active lupus nephritis with severe nephrotic syndrome. In 3 cases there was death, which was not in patients without CGE. CONCLUSION. The presence of CGE in SLE patients is associated with clinical and immunological features of the disease and contributes to an unfavorable course of the process.