Clinical Significance of Anti C1q Antibodies In Patients with Lupus Nephritis

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the prevalence of anti-C1q antibodies in patients with lupus nephritis. This study was conducted on 70 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients chosen from Internal medicine hospital; Ain shams university. The study groups were divided as follows: Group 1: composed of 40 patients with lupus nephritis (20 with active lupus nephritis and 20 with non-active renal disease). Group 2: composed of 30 SLE patients with no nephritis (i.e. no renal impairment). All patients under study were submitted to: 1- Full history taking 2- Laboratory investigations. a- Complete blood picture. b- Complete urine analysis. c- C3, C4 assay, anti-dsDNA& ANA (Antinuclear Ab) d- Kidney function tests (S. creatinine, Urea &prot./creat. ratio) e- ESR & CRP 3- Renal biopsy, in patients with lupus nephritis. 4- Detection of serum anti-C1q antibodies by ELISA. The study revealed that, there was significant statistical difference between SLE patients with active and non-active lupus nephritis and SLE patients with no renal impairment as regard Anti-c1q, ESR, renal affection and proteinuria, while there was no significant statistical difference between SLE patients with active and non-active lupus nephritis and SLE patients with no renal impairment as regard, Hematological abnormalities, ANA, Anti ds-DNA and complete urine analysis. 59 There was high association between Anti-c1q +veand increased lupus nephritis activity,There was significant statistical difference between grades of renal biopsy (only 40 of 70 patients were subjected to renal biopsy) and presence of Antic1q, where Antic1q positive patients had significant higher grades (III, IV, V) lupus nephritis.