ANTI-ERYTHROPOIETIN RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS WITH ANAEMIA

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosis is an autoimmune disease that can cause damage to multiple organ systems, of which , haematological involvment is a common and serious complication and may be presented with sever anemia. This study aimed to evaluate the role of EPOR Ab in the development of anaemia in SLE patients. Our study included 60 patients with SLE, all fulfilled at least four diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria of SLE and 30 age /sex matched healthy control subjects. All patients were subjected to full clinical examination and laboratory investigations including (complete blood count, ESR,Iron study,s.LDH, coomb's test and EPOR Ab using ELISA) . Disease activity assessment for the patients were done using the SLEDAI score. The results obtained were statistically analyzed and summarized as follows; - Serum EPOR Ab levels were significantly increased in SLE patients with anaemia compared to normal healthy subjects (p-value<0.001) - Statistically significant negative correlation were found between EPOR Ab levels and Hg level ( p-value<0.001), haematocrit value( p-value<0.029), RBC count( p-value<0.020)and retics%( p-value<0.009). - Statistically significant negative correlation were found between EPOR Ab levels and both C3andC4( p-value<0.001) - Serum EPOR Ab showed at level of 35 ng/ml sensitivity of 28.3% specificity of 100% positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 41.1% with diagnostic accuracy of 64.2%. - There were positive correlation between EPOR Ab and systemic lupus erythematosis disease activity index (SLEDAI) ( p-value<0.011).