Anti-C1q antibodies as a follow-up marker in SLE patients

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 16;10(4):e0123572. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123572. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

In cross-sectional studies autoantibodies against complement C1q (anti-C1q) were found to be highly associated with active lupus nephritis. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the value of anti-C1q as follow-up marker of disease activity and renal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fifty-two patients with SLE and a minimum of three anti-C1q measurements during follow-up were analyzed. Anti-C1q levels correlated with global disease activity scores. In subgroup analyses, patients without renal involvement did not show a significant correlation between anti-C1q levels and disease activity. In contrast, in patients with renal involvement, anti-C1q levels correlated well with global disease activity. In addition, a positive correlation with the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio and anti-dsDNA antibody levels as well as a negative correlation with complement levels was observed. Anti-C1q antibodies were found to strongly correlate with parameters of SLE disease activity during follow-up, in particular with regard to renal involvement.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Complement C1q / immunology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / blood
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • Complement C1q

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Swiss National Science foundation (32003B_152674/1). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.