Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Blood-based biomarkers of neuronal and glial injury in active major neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors' conclusion
Blood NfL and GFAP levels are elevated in persons with SLE with active major NPSLE compared to disease matched controls and may lower after immunotherapy initiation.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged 12–60 years with active major neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), SLE without active major NPSLE, and healthy controls92% female in each group
- Participants
- 13 / 13 / 13
- Comparison
- Active major NPSLE vs SLE without active major NPSLE vs healthy controls
- Active major NPSLEn = 13
- SLE without active major NPSLEn = 13
- Healthy controlsn = 13reference
- Outcome
- Blood NfL and GFAP levels
Methodological detailsage/sex/kidney function matched SLE controls, age/sex matched healthy controls
- Age/sex/kidney function matched SLE controls
- Age/sex matched healthy controls
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Healthy controls
3.6
mean · SD 2.0 · pg/ml
- Active major NPSLE vs SLE without active major NPSLE
- Neurofilament light (NfL), on average higher 17.9 pg/ml (95% CI 9.2–34.5); P < 0.001
- Active major NPSLE vs SLE without active major NPSLE
- Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), on average higher 3.2 pg/ml (95% CI 1.9–5.5); P < 0.001
- SLE without active major NPSLE vs Healthy controls
- NfL, mean higher 1.3 pg/ml; P = 0.42
- SLE without active major NPSLE vs Healthy controls
- GFAP, mean higher 1.2 pg/ml; P = 0.53
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Blood NfL and GFAP after immunotherapy (subset sampled at multiple time points)
- Blood NfL and GFAP decreased after immunotherapy in a subset of 6 patients
Original publication
Blood-based biomarkers of neuronal and glial injury in active major neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus. Published 16 August 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →