Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41167612›Full record

ArticleLupus science & medicine2025

Detection rate, demographic associations and clinical implications of anti-C1q antibody elevations across diverse disease states.

Siwei Xie, Yao Liang, Weihang Zhu, Xinlei Jia, Qiujing Wei, Wenying Zhou, Chenyang Lu, Yutong Jiang

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Article in Lupus science & medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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8 authors.

Siwei XieDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.ORCID 0009-0000-1602-2296
Yao LiangDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Weihang ZhuDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Xinlei JiaDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Qiujing WeiDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Wenying ZhouDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Chenyang LuDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China jiangyt7@mail.sysu.edu.cn 1301653217@qq.com.
Yutong JiangDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China jiangyt7@mail.sysu.edu.cn 1301653217@qq.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnti-C1q autoantibodies can disrupt normal complement function, contributing to the formation of pathogenic immune complexes and end-organ damage. Although their role in SLE is well-established, their detection rate and clinical relevance across a broader spectrum of diseases remain insufficiently characterised. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of abnormal anti-C1q levels in the population and examine their associations with age, sex and specific clinical subtypes.

methodsThis retrospective study included patients who underwent anti-C1q testing at our hospital between September 2020 and September 2023. The primary outcome was the detection rate of abnormal anti-C1q levels (>10 U/mL) categorised by patient sex, age and disease diagnosis. One-way and two-way fixed-effect models were used to assess associations between odds of abnormal antibody levels and demographic factors. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify disease-specific correlates.

resultsAmong 15 363 patients (median (IQR) age, 38 (28-53) years; 79.02% female; 52.19% aged <40 years) representing 67 distinct diagnoses, 7.88% showed abnormal anti-C1q levels. Female sex and younger age showed higher median anti-C1q levels and a greater proportion of abnormal results. SLE subtypes showed the highest detection rate of abnormal anti-C1q levels, with SLE without severe complications (853 of 3760, 22.69%) and lupus nephritis (88 of 294, 29.93%) being the most obvious. Lupus haematological and encephalopathic manifestations were associated with elevated antibody levels. Additionally, autoimmune cirrhosis (7 of 59, 11.86%) and systemic sclerosis (19 of 165, 11.52%) also showed high detection rates of abnormal anti-C1q levels. Both univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that male sex and younger age were significantly associated with increased odds of abnormal anti-C1q levels.

conclusionElevations in anti-C1q levels extend beyond SLE and are influenced by both demographic factors and specific disease phenotypes. Male sex and younger age emerged as significant predictors of abnormal anti-C1q status. Our findings underscore the potential utility of anti-C1q testing for improving diagnostic precision and risk stratification across a wide range of clinical conditions.

Indexed as

AutoantibodiesComplement C1qLupus Erythematosus, SystemicAdultAge FactorsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSex FactorsAutoantibodiesComplement C1qAutoimmune DiseasesLupus Erythematosus, SystemicLupus Nephritis

Identifiers

PMID41167612
PMCPMC12581075

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