The combined detection of autoantibody characteristics in systemic lupus erythematosus.

objectiveTo investigate the combined detection of the autoantibody characteristics in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

methods105 SLE patients admitted to our hospital from May 2019 to September 2020 were placed in the SLE examination group (the SE group), 110 patients with rheumatic diseases admitted to our hospital during the same period were placed in the disease control group (the DC group), and 100 healthy people who came to our hospital for physical examinations during the same time period were placed in the healthy control group (the HC group). The SLE patients' clinical data were recorded. The patients' antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-dsDNA, anti-SM, anti-SSA, and anti-rRnp levels were measured.

resultsThere were no significant differences in the occurrences of fever, alopecia, photosensitivity, interstitial lung disease, Raynaud's phenomenon, pulmonary arterial hypertension, or osteoporosis. (P > 0.05), but there were higher incidences of arthralgia and butterfly erythema in the female patients (P < 0.05), and higher incidences of renal damage, oral ulcers, nervous system damage, and dysopsia in the male patients (P < 0.05). The positive autoantibody rate in the SE group was significantly higher than it was in the DC and HC groups (P < 0.05). A logistic regression analysis showed that the anti-SM, anti-dsDNA, AnuA, and anti-SSA levels entered the regression equation with statistical differences when P < 0.05. Among the four autoantibodies, the anti-SSA sensitivity was the highest, but its specificity was the lowest, and the specificities of the other three autoantibodies were all more than 97%. The positive rate of anti-dsDNA in its active stage was higher than it was in its inactive stage (P < 0.05). The positive rates of AnuA and anti-SM in their active stages was higher than they were in their inactive stages (P > 0.05). The sensitivities of the combined measurements were higher than the single autoantibody measurements (P < 0.05).

conclusionSingle autoantibody detection has the disadvantage of low sensitivity or specificity. The combined detection of autoantibodies can effectively improve the sensitivity and specificity of SLE detection, so it is worthy of clinical promotion.